Come Celebrate With Us!

In many ways our story is typical...boy meets girl complete with stolen glances, fluttering hearts, and a first date. However, our journey is a unique tale with twists and turns. We came together through a love of nature and met on a hike. Jan joined a hiking group and Eric led the trek. When Eric offered his freshly baked cookies, Jan took notice! Another group hike led to a beautiful winter wonderland snowshoe for two around Manzinta Lake in Lassen Park. Another snowshoe date led to Jan swooning in Eric's arms (actually she fainted due to illness) and then, wow, an actual first date! We discovered our mutual likes...we both appreciate literature and art, good coffee and delicious food, exploring new towns with a general love for wandering and wondering. All this eased the pain when Eric found out Jan hates to play card and board-games, oh the horror! Yes, fairly typical and also not. Eric's heart was a little blue and Jan's was a little bruised. Having met late in life, we'd both experienced the ups and downs of it all. Yet our twists in life had brought us here, together. So we began our own journey and created our special story. It wasn't long before Jan knew Eric was her significant other or 'otter' and Eric's heart was completely 'octopi'-ed by her. So the Otter and the Octopus continued their trail-less-traveled romance when we bought a house in Lake Mary and then eloped in Lassen Park where we first truly connected, just the two of us. Now we want to write you in our story; our family and friends. It wouldn't be a complete happy ending without celebrating with all of you!