Hello Family and Friends! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and the Shelter in Place Order, our reception plans for have been canceled. We hope to be able to celebrate at later date when the order is cleared and we are able to resume our normal daily activities. We will be in touch if we are able to reschedule. We hope everyone is healthy and safe! Stay well! Love, Melinda & Tony

Let's go back . . . way back . . . about twenty-nine years. I am twelve and would catch one school bus to a school where I would sit and wait for another bus to take me to school. One morning while waiting at the first school, a fight broke out between two boys. I couldn't stand fighting so I immediately put these two, especially the one I thought initiated the fight, into a category of individuals I don't care for. Fast Forward a few years . . . time is a bit of a blur, I think I am around fourteen or fifteen years old. Once again, I am riding a bus to school. This bus was different, I had my favorite spot - up close to the front over the heater - I had quick access off the bus and I stayed warm on the cold mornings, until . . . one day the same boy who "picked a fight" was sitting in my spot. The bus was empty aside from him and his brother so why would he sit in my spot? He remained in the category as mentioned above. Fast forward many, many years . . . I am now thirty and working at the front desk of a non-profit agency that provides mental health services to youth. One day, Tony walks in for an interview. Soon enough, he starts working at the agency as well. There was a tradition at our monthly staff meeting where an employee would be honored during the meeting. It was my turn to be honored and the director shared my hiring story and why I stood out in my interview. Followed by Tony sharing a story about how he use to sit in my seat on the school bus and scoot over in hopes that I would sit next to him. During the years we worked together, Tony and I became friends. I grew to respect him and was able to move past his early years on the bus and later learned the fight was to defend his brother. When we found ourselves both to be single we decided to explore dating and . . . fast forward . . . to today where I couldn't imagine life without this supportive, caring, fun, loving man.

(Sung to the beat of Rapper's Delight - copy and paste link if not familiar with beat https://youtu.be/9Lcn0235EPI) Hold just sit right there, I’ll tell ya’ll about how I met this girl in Talmage yeah you know where Well at about 6 to 8 I hopped on the bus with my brother as our ride was a little late We sat right down and the driver took us all through the town. Well that cold morning this girl did arrive, lookin all fine with the smirk that makes you feel alive- She sat right behind me with that tempting glare, and I said damn girl your fine I’ll follow you anywhere, But I hate to fib so I’ll tell it straight, I never said a word to her until it was too late. This one cold morning I did surmise to get this lovely lady by my side, So I sat in her seat thinking, player this the way two legen (wait for it) dary lovers meet- She walked onto the bus lookin as she did before, fly with a blue Gap sweater that I did adore- She got right up to me, rolled them baby blues and took three more steps and I said damn I’ma bout to lose. I filed that away and went on wit my life thinking what went wrong as I thought I had my wife, One day I did walk though the door and here she was 15 years later even hotter than she was before- We worked together off and on, all the while thinking how em I gonna sing our love song, At year 19 Then it became right, this girl did ask me out that dope spring night, So we drank one maybe two and agreed that this time there was nothing to lose, Five years later I do declare that we now have the best of love affairs- So the fable has a moral make sure to invite yall’s girl to the table- No more stealing seats just sing a rhyme with this funky beat-

The morning of: (the backup plan) I drove us in the rain to the Palace Hotel as we were to have Brunch in the ballroom. We got the special seat I requested and with a wink, the waiter and hostess left. I was asked at an opportune moment (Melinda checking out the charcuterie) the hostess ran to the table, “is it on?” I said, “I don’t know, this is the backup plan, I have to check to see if the plan is still a go!” I phoned the next location and they said they would likely be open despite the deluge, and btw, “it’s supposed to stop by 1:30 pm.” We ate more, had our fill and upon Melinda excusing herself the Waiter arrived, “is it on?” “no sir, I replied, “the primary plan is on.” We drive to our next location (The Plan) and it’s pouring, all the while Melinda informs that the rain will stop in 15mn by 1:30 pm. We are driving through the park heading up to Stow Lake and the sky opens with light, I note the time 1:28 pm, fortuitous! I rent a boat, and sticking with my Viking Roots it was a rowboat. As we glide through the water, me the oarsman and entertainer, singing some random opera; Melinda captures it on video. We notice the sparkling water bathed by the fresh sunlight and the ducks surround the boat singing their song- I find the spot, stow us in an eddy in front of the waterfall, just her and I. We talk of relationship, teamwork, partnership, and love, and with a smirk, I hand her a box, a puzzle for her to open for her gift. She attempts and struggles to get it open and I say, “my love, it’s a kissing box and kissing is always done best with a partner," I hold the box, kiss it and have her attempt again, she opens and I say the four words we all know, “Will you marry me?” Spoiler, she said “yes!” Thank God I didn't miss the opportunity at the Backup Plan, or heaven forbid the backup-backup plan. Melinda still doesn't know it, I'm saving it for later-

When Tony and I began talking about marriage he was quick to suggest that I would be the one to propose to him. He was assuming since I was previously married that I had been proposed to - I wasn't. His excitement about being proposed to was quickly deflated when he learned this. Ever since this conversation, I knew I would propose to Tony. I just didn't know how I would go about doing it. I thought I would try to propose to him before he proposed to me so I could say, "Tag! You're It!" But, after long deliberation, I decided I needed to let him do his thing. I had once made a children's book for a school assignment. With this talent, I thought I would create a book about us on a bus. But, the creativity just wasn't flowing. So, instead, I looked for books online that would be suitable for us. Since Tony calls me Honey Bunny and I call him Honey Bear, I looked for books with bears and bunnies. I came across one that was titled, Bear in Love. I wasn't able to see who bear was in love with but it looked sweet so I took a chance and bought it. The book starts off with a bear waking up and stepping out of his cave to discover a carrot the first day, two carrots the second day, and so on. This is when the planned formed. I then planned our five year anniversary weekend getaway. The Monday prior to our weekend getaway, I left a single carrot on his vehicle at work. On Tuesday, I left two carrots. I enlisted the help of his coworkers to leave him more treats - as the story goes. On Friday, I left a single flower on his vehicle. The entire week and the ride over to the coast for our getaway he talked about these gifts being left for him. He wondered who it was. Saturday morning when he awoke and stepped into the bathroom, I placed a cookie on his nightstand. He walked out and said, "It has been you!" I then gave him the book and had him read it. Followed by a box with a cookie that said, "Marry me" with a ring tied to a felt bunny tucked in a felt bear that I made.