18 August 2011

the story of us. jon and liz.

I was a recent college graduate trying to get out of this small town. He was an engineer who returned to school for restaurant management. I was living with my parents in desperate need of a job. He had just returned from traveling and playing out west. We met one night while out on the town, and so our story begins....

Let's go back to a warm summer night in August of 2001. I was a young college graduate who was working hard to find a job anywhere but my home state. I was in the process of interviewing for two jobs, one in Pittsburgh and one in Cambridge. Jon had just finished an externship at the Boulders Resort in Scottsdale, moved to Breckenridge for a couple months, lived in Flagstaff then made his way back east. From the moment we were introduced (by a mutual friend) we had so much to say to each other and had so much in common. Over the next two weeks we just happened to both go out every single night and our paths always crossed. Finally, after two weeks of hanging out every day, Jon asked me out on an official date.

One year later from the exact day of that first date Jon proposed. In fact, we went to a bed and breakfast for the night and ate at the same restaurant where we had our first date. To celebrate our first anniversary we decided to make our gifts. I worked ever so hard on a scrapbook that held all of our memories from our first year together (photos, ticket stubs, you name it). When Jon pulled out his gift I was truly amazed. He made a little log cabin out of wine corks that we saved from that year. And then the moment came when he told me to take the roof off and look inside....and as you can imagine inside this little treasure was a beautiful diamond ring. And this was no ordinary ring, this diamond ring once belonged to his grandmother and was now being passed down to me. To celebrate this moment my thoughtful soon to be husband pulled out a bottle of champagne and two glasses that he hid in a bush right next to us! That's Jon, always thinking ahead.

img019
Jon and I in Stowe, VT for a mini vacation and the Coventry Phish shows

The following October (2003) we were married here in our home town. We had a traditional Catholic wedding, I'm Catholic and Jon is not, with a reception to follow. Before we heading to the reception though, the entire bridal party plus some friends headed to Benders, the restaurant Jon currently owns with his father, to celebrate with a drink and pictures. Our reception carried on late into the night. We danced, we sang (some sang on the bar), we cried and we laughed. I will NEVER forget that magical day.

benders

first dance

jon and liz

The next morning we gathered at my parents for brunch and we were able to visit a bit longer with our out of town guests. Later that morning we were off to the airport to jump on a plane heading to Boston. We spend one night in Boston and then a week in Nantucket, and I cherish every one of these memories.

img020
lunch in Boston
img022
Nantucket
img021
the not so typical honeymoon, but so Jon and Liz.

Over the next year we moved into a new home and our family grew. We welcomed a rescue dog I found on the highway into this new home and shortly after discovered I was pregnant with Jonas. Two years later Joshua joined our family. The following year Jon and I went through our first loss as a couple. We had to put down our yellow lab, Bella (read here). Over the years we have grown, we have lived, we have embraced life. We now have Jessica to join us on this journey called life. We are a family of five, well six with Bailey, trying to enjoy each day and cherish these memories.

DSC_0096

DSC_0036
here's to love. life. and happiness.

oh....and in case you're wondering....I turned down that job offer in Pittsburgh and Cambridge. Best decision of my life!




7 comments:

  1. Such a sweet story and you got a beautiful family!! xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. so sweet and great pics! nice to 'meet' you (thanks to Steph). By the way, my hubs and I are John and Liz, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Loved reading your story. I wish you guys many, many happy days to come!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love this, lady. I always love learning more about couples in love <3 :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. @hannah @jeanne thanks ladies!

    @elizabeth.....ok, weird! AND you like phish! you guys are cool :)

    @karuski thank you SO much lovely!

    @caitlin thanks. there is lots of love...even after 10 years...marriage is work but isn't everything in life?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so honored to hear your love story, Liz. :) I think the way he proposed was so special! Your family is so beautiful, cherish everyday, and like you said here's to love, life, and happiness!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment! I love reading each and every comment and will reply to them here in this comment section. Thanks!

SITE DESIGNED BY PRETTYWILDTHINGS