Long story short, we met because of American Sign Language, our beautiful Deaf culture, and diverse Deaf families. But we're guessing if you're reading this you'd like to know more...

Our journey began on a hot, fall afternoon in 2009 while tailgating for the University of Central Florida Knights. John went to school at Full Sail University and Kristy was studying at the UCF. A mutual Deaf friend introduced us and we instantly connected as CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults). We saw each other a few more times that year at a Deaf comedy show and out with friends but we each had a little more growing up to do and John's journey took him to Washington, DC that summer.

Over the next four years, we stayed in touch. When Kristy graduated from Northeastern University in Boston in 2013, she flew to Florida and road-tripped back to Boston. We had recently reconnected thanks to the wonderful world of social media and John very quickly requested (or demanded, depending on who you ask) that Kristy stop in DC for our first meeting in over two years. Dinner and drinks turned into a spontaneous weekend adventure camping, hiking, meeting friends, playing pool, and cooking together. We brought out the best in each other... instantly best friends and partners in crime.

Over the next six months, we embraced the physical distance between our two cities by traveling to meet in Boston, New York City, and DC. John moved to Salem, MA in February 2014 and the journey continued, finally being able to share the day-to-day ups and downs of life face-to-face, hand-in-hand. Since then, road trips have become one of our favorite things to do together! We traveled to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, DC, down the east coast to Florida and back again. We adopted our fuzzy fur child, Hobbs the traveling cat. Aptly named for his mellow ways and love for the open road sitting in our laps. A year later after adopting a young Salem stray feline named Newman Hawthorne, John proposed to Kristy in the Boston Public Gardens on June 6, 2015. He planned a romantic day of chocolate, pampering, and divine culinary experiences topped off with a secret photographer. He signed his proposal in the very spot we sat together and took selfies the first time John visited Kristy in Boston. Hey, we're millennials! Just as his father had proposed to his mother, he said, "This is not from me, but from my heart."

Kristy and John decided to move to Indianapolis, IN in July of 2015, where John grew up. It was a wonderful year of connecting to his roots and growing as an engaged couple. With love, we watched as John's baby brother, Jason, married the love of his life, Rachel. We grew closer to his midwestern family in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, not to mention the amazing friends we made along the way! We were blessed to have opportunities to have both of our families meet for the holidays and created one of the most amazing Christmases we have both ever experienced as CODAs and members of multicultural families. We have learned to embrace change, challenge, diversity and opportunities in just three years together.

Next, our journey took us to Canal Winchester, Ohio — near the great city of Columbus where Kristy was born — to a place we fondly call the House on the Hill. During our journey, it has become a place that symbolizes love, family and peace to both of us, largely due to its wonderful residents and keepers of the land, John's aunt Jodi and his late uncle Mike. We are thrilled to pour our own love into a place that has been the site of family reunions, children growing and laughing, celebration and inspiration. We are so excited to share the first step in the next big adventure called MARRIAGE with our family and friends with a unity ceremony and celebration on May 20, 2017! Come ENJOY with us! lmL!

Registry