We’re Getting Married!

The Miller family owned a home located in DeSoto, KS. The Schuler/Richardson household moved from Olathe, KS to DeSoto into a duplex next door to the Miller’s. Shelby and Chad became the best of friends, playing together constantly, and occasionally annoying Chad’s sister Amy. They were inseparable.

Shelby’s parents met in Fairbanks, Alaska. Wanda”s family all still lived in Alaska and she was very close to them, talking to them regularly and visiting when possible. James, who moved many times throughout his life, was growing tired of Kansas and told Wanda that he was ready to move back. The three of them hopped in their truck, packed it as full as they could. Starting the long drive from Kansas to Alaska, going through Canada.

New technology being prominent in the household meant, phone calls turned into emails, and phone books became Facebook. Wanda had kept in touch with Alesa through these new forms of communication. Eventually Shelby and Chad found themselves on Facebook and becoming friends, though the two of them never messaged or had any contact through this platform.

Chad had taken a job in Alaska for the summer in Big Lake, only about an hours drive from where Shelby was living in Anchorage. Both Chad and Alesa had reached out to Wanda, but her memory was going and she hadn’t told Shelby about Chad being in Alaska. (That’s what she thinks, she just knows her mom never said anything to her) Chad never reached out to Shelby personally.

After Shelby’s mom had passed away, she found herself lonely and in need of company, she remembered a comment Alesa left on her Facebook post saying to reach out to her. One night she did just that, seeing on Facebook messenger that she was online, Shelby called. Alesa suggested reaching out to Chad, knowing he would love to talk to Shelby. This turned into multiple phone calls a day to both Alesa and Chad.

Shelby knew her time in Alaska was over, still living in an apartment she shared with her late mother, and where her last moments with her mother were. She knew she needed to move out of the state and was planning on Texas, with a pit stop in Tulsa to see the Millers. God had another plan as her plan to stay in Texas began to look like it wouldn’t be the best place for her to go. The Millers offered to let her come stay with them while she figured out her next step. So one day Shelby booked a flight for later in the month and off she went. She got rid of her cats (which broke her heart) packed her bags, leaving her apartment and car in Alaska. Three flights later, she landed in Tulsa and was greeted by Jeff and Alesa at the airport.