you'll find information about the venues, venue parking and venue phone numbers

We met via an online dating site (99% compatibility!) However, Ellen lived in Champaign-Urbana ( CU; where Jim went to grad school) and Jim lived ~ 90 miles away in West Lafayette, IN. Initially a long-distance romance, once we became engaged, since Ellen’s family was in CU, Jim needed to move. Where to live? We wanted to buy the condo next to Ellen's (a great idea Jeanne Sherman!) and join the two units to have sufficient space. (Minor detail: Julie, the woman in the adjacent unit, didn't want to move!) Ellen convinced her to move to another unit if we would do some remodeling/updates. We thought it was win-win but frends we told of this plan thought we were nuts and could never pull it off. Jim did buy the other condo (which wasn't actually for sale!) and we fixed it up and swapped! (Thanks Julie!) We joined the adjacent unit with Ellen's and Jim did some more remodeling and a MAJOR downsizing and moved to CU late last year. So we "Moved Heaven and Earth" to make "us" happen.

In 2016 Jim intended to ask Ellen to marry him at Christmas, which is Ellen's favorite holiday. He thought it would be extra special to do it in front of Ellen's family when doing the presents. But, Christmas morning Jim got a call saying his brother was hospitalized in Florida following an automobile accident. He knew he should leave immediately. No flights were available so he would need to drive. He began throwing things into his suitcase. The morning had been a little chaotic and Ellen's sister had come to help prepare for company. Not one to have his plans thwarted, and his adrenaline already kicked in, Jim called Ellen's sister Mary in to witness, shoved Ellen down on the couch, fell to a knee and tearfully proposed marriage which was enthusiastically accepted. It's a sweet and funny memory.

We love dogs so when Ellen's Buddy Wilson & Baxter McGee, and Jim's Jane & Simon passed away at the end of long happy lives, we begin to talk adoption. We believe in rescuing dogs, (Jim fostered hundreds of dogs with a border collie rescue organization) but we began exploring adopting a puppy. As seniors living in a downtown condo, we had to consider not only size and shedding but logistics of ownership. (Could we get out and walk in all weather conditions as we entered our 70s & 80s?) We found an answer in "Fresh Patch" (hydroponic sod delivered weekly to our door) As a puppy, Woody was easily trained to potty on his patch in the walk-in shower. Unfortunately, this left US with only a tub! We were planning a walk-in shower someday in the 2nd bath. Woody was a good "excuse" to do it now. We added the cost of the remodel to Woody and tagged him "the $10,000 dog". His name, Elwood P Dowd, was taken from the movie "Harvey". Ellen & Mary believe in last names for dogs. Jim is indulgent.

Ellen's cell 217-898-2786 Jim's cell 217-898-2443 strauser.gitzen@gmail.com