We're so excited You Can Join Us Near & Far!

The summer of 1990 my great friend Prim, Mary Minigutti, woke me up from a summer slumber with a call about how desperate Camp Soroptimist was to hire camp counselors because they were short and had already begun summer training. Somehow I said "yes" and was out there the next day. I remember it was a place that would be excellent experience for my college major, Rehabilitation Services. At this time I was a fraternity letter wearing, bow head Freshman in college. Let me tell you that place freaked the selfishness right out of Jon and I learning to care for other people and seeing people w/ profound disabilities have more moxie than anyone we have ever met to this day. I had no idea Jon had a crush on me but he signed his cabin up for all of the same activities and himself to be in the same evening activity. Once he was finally direct, I was all in. We honestly were madly in love with each other. I was terrible to Jon and myself truthfully, I broke up with him for being the great guy that he is "eleventy-hundred times" as Jon will say. The reason why so many is b/c we were long distance and every time we saw each other we melted again and again. Just like we did 3 years ago. This time we are holding onto each other for dear life (please ignore our age and need for the physical support...tee hee). Now we both know: "It was always you".

It was the summer of 1990, my second summer at camp, when this big bundle of energy blew into town. She was all bangs and bows and it was love at first sight. Her smile and laughter melted away the rest of the world and I was (and still am) drawn to her. I couldn’t be around her enough. Yes, I was crushing on her and yes she had a boyfriend but I knew Shannon was the girl I wanted to spend my life with. I signed up our cabins, Arapaho and Shawnee, together as much as possible for daily activities. I even convinced one of my cabin counselors to switch evening activity group so I could spend more time with her (I think I had to do his kitchen duties for the rest of the summer which turned out to be a fortunate price to pay since I was able to schedule my extra KP shifts to coincide with Shannon). Amazingly, I somehow managed to play it so cool that she had no idea that all this time together was not just a happy accident. I know, I know…sounds a little like stalking but it was a sweeter time, a more innocent time, when stalking was considered cute not creepy. Our lives and distance took their toll on our relationship but every time we saw each other it was as if that time apart just disappeared and our journey picked up right where left off, until It was the winter of 2018, my thirtieth or so year of trying to adult, when this amazing woman walks through the gate of Gloria’s restaurant to have dinner with me. In an instant, I was 22 again and I knew I was done (DUN done) searching. Those same feelings that started that summer day in 1990, and still continue now, raced through me and I knew I was not letting us drift apart again. I am truly fortunate and blessed that she feels the same way, that she said yes to forever and that I get to experience life with her every day. Each of you has shared a part in shaping who we are today, individually and as a couple. Thank you for being part of our journey and for celebrating this very special day with us.

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