An exchanged business card never got Rebecca the job she was hoping for as a free-lance artist, but it did get her a date- several in fact. After walking into Brixx Pizza Restaurant in downtown Charlotte, NC, holding a friend's baby in arms, she caught the attention of Justin and his friend John. Justin said after the first encounter that night, he didn't remember what she looked like, only he knew of a feeling that there was something very special about her and she couldn't go far. So he sent her a text message the very next day, inviting her that weekend again to Brixx to hang out with some of his friends. Always in need of more friends, she agreed. And the rest is history. A baby, a business card and a date.

While visiting Justin's sister and brother-in-law in Sarasota, FL, the plan was already in motion. On a beautiful, warm and sunny Florida afternoon, he packed a blanket and a picnic with the suggestion that they take a walk on the beach to watch the sunset. Several clues should have keyed Rebecca in, but she was never one to ever argue with "snacks and a sunset". She even agreed to his seemingly strange requests before they left; such as, wearing her sun hat, even though it was going to be dark. Once they arrived at the beach, a few snacks in, Justin suggested they take a walk. Rebecca protested because she had just opened the Goldfish, her favorite addiction. Reluctantly, she left the goldfish and took a walk towards the setting sun, holding his hand. What she was completely oblivious to was the comical arrangement of the Paparazzi Trio of Cathy, John and Kelly (we will save that story for later) and before she knew it, he was on one knee, in the wave wash, holding a ring. We are very excited to share our special day with you as we continue on this journey together!

Describe your first date: Justin- The very first thing I did with you - I helped you repair the Audrey puppet from "A Little Shop of Horrors". "Feed me, Seymour!!" Rebecca - Yep. I took a job repairing a large puppet for a local costumer. I knew I could sew but I didn't know how to work with the metal frame. I had just happened to meet you and thought maybe I could bribe you into helping me. In fact, I actually sent you a text that said, "Are you bribable?" You replied "Only to a very pretty lady" I followed that up with, "Well then, I'll get a friend to ask you." Justin - You picked me up after work at Discovery Place and we drove to fix that puppet. It ended up being a late night so we discussed getting Chinese and eating at my house because there wasn't much open. I ordered it on the way home and the delivery guy showed up as we pulled in to the drive way. I thought that was impressive planning on my part. Rebecca - It was. You couldn't have timed it better. But was that really our first date? Can we call it that? I think going to Avenue Q with you downtown was our first official date. Justin- Yes, I think it was too. Had to be, all the ingredients were there: a nice restaurant and two theatre tickets to Avenue Q, of course, with a warning of "full puppet nudity"...sorry it was not more romantic. But there was the time I needed your help finishing an exhibit in a museum and we ended up with the entire museum to ourselves. That easily could have been our first date even though it was never intended to be.

What was your first impression of each other? Rebecca - I thought you were goofy but nice. The way we were sitting was me, then your friend John, then you in a line. So as I'm talking to John, you were leaning around him making silly faces at me. I was thinking what in the world? Who is this guy? Justin - I don't have a really good answer for this, I just remember this absolutely beautiful girl and a feeling that you were going to be very important in my life. What is your favorite story they tell about themselves growing up? Rebecca - My favorite story has to be the pet duck story. I think in part, just the fact that you were so young, is quite amusing to me. You have such vivid memories of your pet duck and how he brought his girlfriend home to you when you were, what, four years old? Justin- It was a duck that needed a home after Hurricane David flooded South Florida and we became friends. Mom loved him because he pooped all over the place. And, yes, he did fly away one day only to return with his lady duck friend. Not sure what happened after that but I imagine they had many babies and lived on a beach in Key West. How about your stories? I only heard about the poor snoopy dog that lived with you. Oh, and also the cat you gave CPR to. But, I guess, our pets is not the point of the question. My favorite story is how you have placed all of your favorite things into bags as you still do today! I recall you telling me that you would pack all of the items you thought you were going to need for the day, into your favorite bag, including your rock collection. What is their favorite ice cream flavor? Rebecca - Yours is definitely Cookies and Cream. Justin- Chocolate with more chocolate- duh!

What's one thing that really impresses you about them? Rebecca - That you are so outgoing. I am so not. I tell people you could make friends with a wall but seriously, you have this ability to make friends with anyone anywhere. I'm always amazed by that. Justin - Rebecca's artistic ability constantly amazes me. Her ability to translate concepts onto paper, a computer screen or in clay is highly remarkable and stunningly beautiful. You will have your own studio one day soon... I promise!

What was the first thing you liked about them? Rebecca - This was pretty early on. It was the same evening that I met you all at Brixx and then went to a broadway show by myself. But I stopped back by the Brixx patio after the show and you and John were still there, so I sat down to hang out a bit before going home. There was this dude who started talking to me and later in the conversation, he kept asking me to go to his apartment so I could paint a portrait of him that night. I was super uncomfortable because he was close to me and keep verbally pushing me. You physically put yourself in between us and told him to go away and that I was not going home with him. He was upset but he backed down and left. I was really impressed by that. You didn't even know me and were the only one in that group of people to see what was happening and do something about it. Justin- You are often the prettiest girl in the room and I imagine you had a lot of that prior to our relationship, but rest assured, I will always support you in any way I need to! But the first thing I liked about you was how you portrayed confidence and your inner beauty. Just like on the morning, probably 2 weeks after we met, I called you to help me complete an exhibit I was installing at the Nature Museum. It was "kind of an emergency" on that Monday morning that I needed an artist to help blend the new parts of the exhibit into the old stuff. I remember waking you up at like 10 in the morning and begged you to help me. Very unwillingly, you indulged my emergency and arrived later that morning wearing your art clothes and a very colorful scarf wrapped within your hair. I'm sure I said something very vain, but I still chuckle to myself when I think of that moment, seeing you in your true artistic form. You walked into the situation with such exquisite beauty and had the confidence to boot. That was such a wonderful day. The two of us with full access to a closed museum and a butterfly room!

Was was it about them that made you realize they were "the one"? Justin - I knew right from the beginning. I just knew that one day I was going to marry this girl. A feeling that was very new to me and not one I had ever had before. Rebecca - I never had that "ah-ha" moment, as you know, but it was a gradual thing over time. There was so much going on my life that I wasn't really taking anyone seriously. But there was something about you that made me keep coming back. You treated me differently than anyone else had before and you understood my creative ideas and helped me accomplish them.