1950 County Rd 220, Angleton, TX 77515

July 17th

We met on one of my (Colene's) first days at church in DC. He offered to “help me find community,” and I agreed, wondering how I was going to fend off this overly nice guy. Turned out, he was pretty cool, and I found myself wondering when he'd ask me to a NON-group hang. Eventually, he invited me to play sports in Alexandria… and forgot to invite the other people. Three hours, one long walk on the Potomac, a pizza and some wine later, we shook hands and called it a date.

We did that thing most young couples do when they fall in love fast. We dated. We were SO intense. We thought we had everything figured out. We did not.

There was a breakup. (10/10 do not recommend.) There was personal growth. (Highly recommend.) There was a suspiciously well-timed reunion at a party. He saw me leaving. I hoped he would notice. He chased me out the door. We got back together. The rest moved a little slower, a lot wiser, and infinitely better. (The Potomac and pizza both made another appearance at the engagement! Rumor has it pizza will make a third appearance at the wedding! Good job, Jerry.)

After the wedding, in September, we’re boarding a flight to Sofia, Bulgaria, for our first overseas posting with the U.S. Department of State. We will be in Bulgaria for the next two years before moving on to our second overseas posting. We’ll be figuring out grocery stores, public transit, and how to host people abroad. Our hope? To live intentionally, love generously, serve wherever we are, and make a home for friends and family who want to drop in on an international adventure. DC was where we met. Bulgaria is where we begin the next chapter. We can’t wait to share it with the people we love most—starting with you.