We are (finally) getting married!

Time is a funny thing. For us, the last 4(ish) years has felt like a decade. But it's only the beginning. The milestones have been hefty. But it's only the beginning. The changes in ourselves, our dynamic, our perspectives, and our environments have been plentiful. But it's only the beginning. The experiences we've had have been bountiful, and the lessons we've learned have been benevolent. But it's only the beginning. After November 14th, all of these things come to fruition. The totality of work and dedication we've put into each other, our relationship, and Jameson, has lead not only to this one day, but a vow to each other, for an eternity. An Eternity. . . That means when it's hard. When we don't agree. When we don't like each other. When we are too exhausted to say goodnight. When we are spread too thin. Luckily. . . This means when it's hard, we aren't alone. When we disagree, we have vowed to find a common ground. This means, we won't always like each other - but we'll always love each other. Our vows will include caffeinated promises - we may not always say goodnight, but Good Morning's will be easier. When we are overwhelmed, we will remember that these moments will not last forever, and grant the grace that is deserved. This day is special not just for us, but for Jameson, who has seen Cody as a father figure for nearly 4 years. It isn't just us two being married, it is ALL of us coming together as one family. The beautiful day we have imagined for ourselves and guests is bound to be electric, magical, and a darn good Party. This day holds an incredible amount of importance and joy for us, and we cannot thank our friends and family enough for all of their continuous support.

I was a new barista, bubbly and bright-eyed for a 5am shift when Cody walked in the door. The other baristas working yelled excitedly "CODY!" when he walked in the door. Me, being me, jumped on board and shouted right along with them "HEY CODY!" He laughed, and responded with "Morning!" as if we were old friends, ordered a Trenta water, and continued on his way. Over the next month or two, I began training to open a new store, he moved back to our town, and was rehired at Starbucks. November 16th, 2016 was our first official date. We hiked at Tyler State Park, and got a little lost, which he took full advantage of by swooping in for our first kiss. (This is Cody's 'anniversary date' and a constant argument between us; December 15th, 2016 was the day he made it official.) Since then, we have adventured together a ton - Adventuring together is our favorite thing in the world! But, it isn't the most exciting of trips and exploring that has been the best part of our relationship... No, the best part has been truly learning to "lean in" on each other during the most trying times. The last several years since that first day we met has been a whirlwind for us both and we have learned that the best way out, is through - together. We have learned the best thing (I believe), you can develop with your partner: Teamwork. Our relationship isn't always 50/50. Some days, one of us is stronger (mentally or physically) than the other - that person is the leader of our lives and our home. That person carries the weight that day... or week... or month. And we trade that responsibility on and off willingly, with love, and without judgment or bitterness. There is nothing that compares to the contentment I feel with the knowledge that Jameson and I have someone in our corner who can carry us through the dark... and make the Best days, even better.

I was on my way in to town and it was early in the morning. I stopped to meet some of my old Starbucks crew because they always make my day a little bit better and, unbeknownst to me, my life. I came in to get my usual Trenta Water and make my rounds when everyone greeted me as a I walked in, including a really foxy young lady I had never seen before (She's gonna kill me for that). [After her proof-read, I was given a major eyeroll] I grabbed my water, said goodbye, and left trying to play it cool and not turn around to look at her again and seem like a total dweeb. Fast forward a couple of months, I moved back into town and began working at Starbucks again. One evening after working a late shift, I was playing a game online with a friend of mine when someone I had never spoken to over the phone, and had only a few random Facebook conversations with (discussing Step Brothers and Star-Gazing), decided to call me while stuck in horrible traffic on I-20. I will give you three guesses as to who it was. After talking to her for about 2 and a half hours, she had me intrigued. I was hooked and, to say the least, I had to know more about this amazing person so we rode around town searching for her apartment and things needed to fill it with. Budget friendly places, like the Dollar Tree and Big Lots were where we learned many things about each other. After a trip to JC Penny and Bed Bath & Beyond with Jameson, I felt a bit honored by the fact that I was given a chance to really interact with him. To be given that opportunity to be closer to them was a huge turning point which gave me the courage to ask Brandi on a proper date. (I really didn't expect her to say yes!) When she hesitantly agreed, we decided to have our FIRST OFFICIAL DATE at the beautiful Tyler State Park! The rest is history!

So guys, let me tell you a story. Sit around the proverbial campfire and open your ears. Our first official date was in Tyler State Park as we have both mentioned. There we had our first kiss, and from then on I knew what my future had in store. So countless adventures later, amazing nights on the town and hard mornings recovering, and memories that will always be a part of us, we ended up back where we started. On October 5th, 2019 we were having a morning recoop from a massive raid orchestrated by some sneaky raccoons... After making Brandi a cup of camp coffee, making sure she was distracted, and sneaking off to our tent, I returned with a ring. I asked her, with tears in my eyes from the huge amount of nerves and joy I had welling inside my heart, if she would be by my side for the rest of our lives. After a few (like 12) no's of disbelief she said yes, and I was beyond happy. Because now our little family will become OFFICIALLY WHOLE!!! It was the U L T I M A T E S U P R I S E (she's good at ruining surprises) - this wasn't an easy task. For the duration of our stay at the site, we celebrated with a little fishing, paddle boarding, jumping off the dock with Jameson, purchasing a new coffee mug as a momento, and ice cream from the gift shop. Later, we broke out the s'mores and our favorite Celebration Wine that I tried to sneak in our cooler (she found it early, and I was questioned - I had to keep my cool). We are pretty great at celebrating in simplicity and enjoying the small things in life. However, "simple" is not quite what we have in mind for the Big Day!

Our original Destination Wedding in Mexico is clearly off the table. At first, this was devastating news and we truly weren't sure what the future held for our Wedding Day... Should we hold off and hope we can continue as planned? Should we wait until next year? Will our wonderful friends and family want to travel after all of this? These are all things that we needed to consider before making the big decision. And it was hard. The thought of giving up our dream wedding on a warm beach was difficult to say in the least. SoOo, we decided NOT to settle and found a breathtaking beach venue, right here in Texas instead! Please join us in Port Aransas as we (finally) tie the knot. We are hopeful that the change of plans also allows for more of our local friends and family to attend this joyful day.