Melissa and I met when our boys started playing football together in the 4th grade! Our boys have remained friends through elementary, junior high, high school, and even went to college together. I would sit on the sidelines by myself at practices and games, but one day was invited to sit on the bleachers and that day I met Melissa and we hit it off right away. She then invited me and Michael to a pool party at her house and that was the start of an incredible friendship that has grown into a sisterhood over the years! We have gone on so many adventures together, caught countless catfish together, and drank many a beer together! Melissa is my partner in crime, my ride or die, and I could not imagine this day without her by my side!

Cheryl and I also met when our boys started playing football together! I would bring my granddaughter Paisley to Michael's practices with me, and Cheryl would stop and talk to her. She is the one that invited me to sit on the bleachers with her and Melissa that day. I quickly figured out that Cheryl had a very special light, and I fell in love with her instantly! She is no longer a friend, but a part of my family, a woman that I admire and respect with all my heart. That love and respect extends to my children and anyone that has had the honor to know her. She is like a mother to me and today would not be the same without her by my side.

Yantzee and I met at church a little over 20 years ago. He, his wife Kathy, several other friends through church and I have had fun adult adventures over the years. We all know how much harder it is to make friend connections while we are doing the adult daily 'slave to the grind' but throughout this time and his own hardships Yantzee has been an amazing supportive friend, a best friend and I'm thankful to him for accepting my request he be my Best Man as I wed the love of my life!

Jack is my youngest son. He is more like me than he'd probably want to admit or perhaps that's just the way I see it! We can talk effortlessly about anything or nothing even though we aren't very chatty people. He's my skiing buddy, who I can talk to about the nerdy stuff with. When he was a little boy, he was my ankle clinger and now he's taller, bigger and stronger than me by far. I remember when we were at an 8-story entertainment plex in Naha, Okinawa Japan. Levels of games and sports... He was a good 50lbs heavier than me but still I made the foolish choice for us to don the bubble suits and see who could knock each other down, I lost repeatedly... Lol. I've very proud of the man he's become and becoming on his journey!

Charles and I have been friends for 42 years! We met through our mutual friend Russ after I moved into Russ's neighborhood. I didn't know him as Charles back then, he went by Putt after his middle name Puttnam. We all grew up having the usual adventures, and plenty of the unusual adventures making all of those years special! We nicknamed Putt, "Putt Putt for the fun of it" and he's lived up to that well enough! We had a pretty large group of friends during those years, we hung out, played D&D, Risk, Chess, yard wrestling, house wrestling, skating, harassing adults, teen drinking, late nights trying to figure out who is God's parents and plenty more that can't be spoken of here... Lol! Then we started the adult journey, I moved away while in the Air Force, Putt moved to Las Vegas for a time, he came back and tried to convince me he'd won $3 million at the casinos while there... Lol, I knew it was a smoke blow. We each matured over the years into who we are, the man and lifelong friend that Putt is and the amazing Christian believer he is makes him the perfect choice to be our wedding officiant!