Nathan came to River Falls Area Hospital on a travel contract. I noticed him, thought he was a great nurse and was someone I wanted to get to know. We chatted on our night shifts, he gave me a #1 nurse sticker from our kids stickers, and exchanged numbers so that when he traveled somewhere warm I could come visit:) We went tubing after our last shift with some friends from work and EMS, but could not seem to get our schedules to sync up to get together again for a while.

Nathan will tell you our first date was going to see Frankie Ballard in Eau Claire after a wing and beer tasting. This was the first time we could finally get our schedules to match up. I didn't consider it a date as I thought we were friends and had no idea how he felt. He is so hard to read!

She wore make up. It was a date.

Shortly after meeting for Frankie Ballard Nathan asked if I would like to go to Mexico with him for a friend's wedding. I thought I love to travel and it's warm (why not)? April 2017 we went to Mexico for a week. Nathan's plane got delayed and I almost didn't meet up with him in the airport, we finally found the right transportation to the hotel and had a Modelo on the way while listening to the Eagles Hotel California (which we heard multiple times that trip), checked in and went to meet his friends. Jodi says it's so nice to see you again...Nathan replies, "Jodi you have never met." It turned out to be a week full of laughs, dancing, walks on the beach, and tours of the town. It was then that I found out Nathan was actually interested in a relationship.

Don't forget the dos equis and karaokee. I found out Amanda is a people watcher like me. We also had some local fauna frequent our locale, both at night and in the day. The night version had six legs. The other was the coquati's and what I called the squabbits.

We decided to see where things would go. I came to meet him in Milwaukee for Solstice days and he came for River Falls days. In October we went to Iceland with a couple of friends. Best trip ever! We were squished in the back seat with many suitcases because the "large" SUV Katie had rented turned out to be a Hyundai Tucson! We got to see much of the country and enjoy our last day at the Blue Lagoon.

The speed bumps in Iceland are quite impressive and can really get you to lift off the car seat when are hit at speed. Also when a bridge is blocked in Iceland you gotta go around the island the other way!

I met Nathan's immediate family for Pat's wedding. Memorial Day 2018 we both miraculously had off for his family's memorial day party. I got to meet many of Nathan's friends and family.

My friends and family were impressed...mainly that I would let them meet my girlfriend.

April of 2018 I actually got Nathan to travel to Florida with me! We had a great time playing drag queen bingo in Ybor at Hamburger Mary's (before it closed), visiting friends, hanging out on the beach, and walking St. John's Pass.

I won at that bingo. We watched dolphins in the bay, I got to meet Amanda's friend Bruno, and used a copious amount of sunscreen.

We met my parents for a kayaking trip down the Kinni River lower in River Falls. It was the first time my parents had been kayaking. We only had to stop 3 or 4 times to get Dad's kayak unfilled with water and mine once.

Not to mention the times you helped the random folks out or tried to swamp my kayak.

August of 2018 I told Nathan I had found two westies that I would like to get. I had been wanting to get a couple of westies for a couple of years now. I asked him if he would be okay with it. He didn't resist and agreed to travel to Arkansas to get them.

The smile on Amanda's face as she got back in the car with two yellow smelly westies was the biggest I've ever seen.

Nathan and I love to host parties and Christmas is my all time favorite. We bake cookies every year and have a party with all of our friends... a tradition I hope continues for many years.

We seem to cook more and more each year, so if you want some let us know.

Nathan had supposedly tried to propose a couple of times, but I just did not get the subtle cues. For example he left the ring box on the fireplace mantle and I did not see it. Sunday July 11th 2021 after a large family gathering on Saturday Nathan and I were relaxing. We decided to grill out and play bags. He won (very irritating:)) After a nice dinner and dessert he snuck the ring on the table and asked what we were going to do with all of the pictures we are going to be making. I of course didn't see it right away and started answering the question when I turned fully and realized what he meant. The answer was YES and the rest is history.