Lucky #7

Today marks the seventh year that David has made me the happiest woman on earth. It's our anniversary today (and David's grandparents...Happy 62nd Anniversary to you!) and that always inspires me to look back on our years together. Sorry for the long post to follow, but I just felt the need to share our love story!

The two of us as a dating couple.




We've come a long ways from when we first started dating two weeks into my freshman year in college. He totally impressed me when he asked if he could pursue a relationship with me rather then ask me out right off the bat. Of course it didn't take very long for me to be very open to that idea and by September 3rd, 1999 we began our dating adventure right after watching The Godfather (his favorite movie of all time by the way). At the time we were both living in The Scholars Residence at the University of Idaho which was a co-ed residence hall housed in an old fraternity building. I think our relationship progressed as quickly as it did because we were living in such close proximity to each other. That and we just couldn't get enough of each other!

The two of us as an engaged couple




David asked my father for permission to marry me that next summer on a sweltering hot night after a cigar. Needless to say he felt a little sick to his stomach that night! All those nerves and the humidity just didn't agree with him. He told my parents he was planning to propose on our one year dating anniversary or on Thanksgiving. If you know David at all you know that patience is not generally one of his virtues. He was acting completely weird the first few weeks of school and on September 2nd it became apparent as to the why. He took me to the nearby baseball field to go star gazing and got down on one knee to propose in the dark.

Wedding Photos




We debated between waiting one year or two before getting married and in the end David won out and we decided to get married in August 2001. As luck would have it we were able to get married on David's grandparent's 55th wedding anniversary which was really special. Neither of us cried during the wedding, mostly because we were goading each other not to! After our wedding we took a short honeymoon down to Ashland, Oregon for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and up to Cannon Beach before we headed to Nampa, Idaho for a second reception and up to Moscow to start school.

Early Days of Marriage


Our first two years of marriage were spent in Moscow, Idaho where we finished up our bachelors degrees. David graduated in December of 2002 and I finished in May of 2003. While it was difficult to be so far from our families it was good to have those first few years to be on our own and establish ourselves as a couple. It was in our tiny 450 sq ft married student housing apartment that we sorted out who does what chores and I tried my hand at cooking for the first time.

Fifth Wedding Anniversary


We moved to Salem, Oregon for David to attend Willamette University's MBA program in May 2003. We knew nobody in town, had no internet, and no jobs. It was a long three months. We did discover that we will make an excellent retired couple someday. We learned to play Bocce and Jeopardy was part of our daily routine. The best part of the move to Salem was that the 2 bedroom apartment we lived in came with a Marriage Saving Device we like to call the dishwasher. It was a long two years in Idaho without one! By the time school started for David in August I found a fantastically rewarding job at The Bon that paid barely enough to make ends meet. Before David graduated in May 2005 I had worked three jobs in order to pay the bills, one of which was the quintessential Office Space job where I didn't really seem to be doing anything. I also worked for the State of Oregon for about a year in a clerical job which was definitely the best of the three despite the 6:30am start time.

Super Hero Family of Three


Our daughter Grace was born July 30, 2005 right after David graduated and thankfully found full time employment! It was a big adjustment in our lives but has added even more love to our marriage as we started the parenting journey together. Grace was 8 months old when we bought and moved in to our first home in Dallas in April 2006. My brother Brian lived with us for a year from June 2006 through June 2007. It was a challenge but wound up being a blessing since I became pregnant with our second child during that time frame and couldn't grocery shop or cook and Brian was able to help out in that department. Our son Ethan was born October 7, 2007 and completed our family. I'm pretty sure that David is glad he won't need to deal with a pregnant wife again!

Family of Four


Fun David & Kellie Trivia:

We can share some shoes since our feet are the same length. David's feet are wide and mine are narrow so only shoes like flip flops or Crocs are good for sharing.

We have attended the Oregon Shakespeare every year we have been married. Even the years we were dirt poor students, twice when I was hugely pregnant, and once (and soon to be twice!) with a nursing baby.

Our first "date" was to walk down to the video store to rent Shakespeare In Love. We've watched a bazillion movies together ever since.

We've held an Oscar Party every year we've been married...next year will be the 8th Annual!

We're both 5'8" tall.