Johann & Ian's House

Civil Ceremony Celebration

Palmer Park - Lazy Land Pavilion

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Summer

Our Wedding

Chris&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;met&nbsp;just&nbsp;before&nbsp;Valentines&nbsp;Day&nbsp;in&nbsp;2020&nbsp;and&nbsp;just&nbsp;before&nbsp;the&nbsp;world&nbsp;shut&nbsp;down&nbsp;due&nbsp;to&nbsp;Covid.&nbsp;We&nbsp;first&nbsp;started&nbsp;chatting&nbsp;on&nbsp;OKCupid.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;little&nbsp;leary&nbsp;because&nbsp;most&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;men&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;come&nbsp;across&nbsp;online&nbsp;were&nbsp;creepers&nbsp;and&nbsp;let&nbsp;those&nbsp;freak&nbsp;flags&nbsp;fly.&nbsp;Chris&nbsp;was&nbsp;so&nbsp;normal&nbsp;in&nbsp;comparison,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;morbidly&nbsp;curious...he&nbsp;was&nbsp;either&nbsp;a&nbsp;really&nbsp;decent&nbsp;guy&nbsp;or&nbsp;REALLY&nbsp;good&nbsp;at&nbsp;getting&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;date&nbsp;before&nbsp;dropping&nbsp;those&nbsp;red&nbsp;flags.&nbsp;I&nbsp;gave&nbsp;him&nbsp;my&nbsp;number&nbsp;and&nbsp;we&nbsp;talked&nbsp;for&nbsp;HOURS.&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;never&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;conversation&nbsp;with&nbsp;anyone&nbsp;like&nbsp;that&nbsp;before.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;funny&nbsp;how&nbsp;much&nbsp;we&nbsp;had&nbsp;in&nbsp;common&nbsp;growing&nbsp;up,&nbsp;almost&nbsp;surreal,&nbsp;but&nbsp;comforting&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;same&nbsp;time.&nbsp;We&nbsp;met&nbsp;a&nbsp;couple&nbsp;of&nbsp;days&nbsp;later,&nbsp;and&nbsp;there&nbsp;was&nbsp;nothing&nbsp;awkward&nbsp;about&nbsp;it.&nbsp;Almost&nbsp;like&nbsp;we&nbsp;already&nbsp;knew&nbsp;each&nbsp;other,&nbsp;which&nbsp;is&nbsp;strange&nbsp;considering&nbsp;how&nbsp;anxious&nbsp;I&nbsp;used&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;new&nbsp;people. We&nbsp;saw&nbsp;each&nbsp;other&nbsp;often&nbsp;over&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;few&nbsp;weeks,&nbsp;even&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;world&nbsp;turned&nbsp;upside-down&nbsp;with&nbsp;a&nbsp;nationwide&nbsp;lockdown&nbsp;being&nbsp;officially&nbsp;declared&nbsp;in&nbsp;March.&nbsp;Our&nbsp;focus&nbsp;soon&nbsp;turned&nbsp;to&nbsp;introducing&nbsp;our&nbsp;kids&nbsp;to&nbsp;each&nbsp;other.&nbsp;Naturally,&nbsp;they&nbsp;were&nbsp;wary&nbsp;of&nbsp;new&nbsp;partners,&nbsp;but&nbsp;I&nbsp;think&nbsp;they&nbsp;realized&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;not&nbsp;trying&nbsp;to&nbsp;replace&nbsp;their&nbsp;other&nbsp;biological&nbsp;parents,&nbsp;and&nbsp;neither&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;were&nbsp;going&nbsp;to&nbsp;play&nbsp;the&nbsp;part&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;wicked&nbsp;stepparent&nbsp;they&nbsp;relaxed&nbsp;and&nbsp;accepted&nbsp;our&nbsp;relationship.&nbsp;The&nbsp;bonus&nbsp;is&nbsp;they&nbsp;even&nbsp;liked&nbsp;each&nbsp;other!&nbsp;At&nbsp;this&nbsp;point,&nbsp;neither&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;was&nbsp;considering&nbsp;the&nbsp;prospect&nbsp;of&nbsp;ever&nbsp;getting&nbsp;married&nbsp;again. In&nbsp;August&nbsp;2020,&nbsp;we&nbsp;decided&nbsp;to&nbsp;move&nbsp;in&nbsp;together.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;quick,&nbsp;but&nbsp;it&nbsp;felt&nbsp;right&nbsp;for&nbsp;us,&nbsp;and&nbsp;we&nbsp;have&nbsp;never&nbsp;looked&nbsp;back.&nbsp;Life&nbsp;was&nbsp;crazy&nbsp;at&nbsp;this&nbsp;point&nbsp;with&nbsp;three&nbsp;kids&nbsp;at&nbsp;home&nbsp;doing&nbsp;online&nbsp;schooling,&nbsp;I&nbsp;worked&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;primary&nbsp;care&nbsp;office&nbsp;and&nbsp;was&nbsp;constantly&nbsp;bombarded&nbsp;with&nbsp;Covid&nbsp;protocol&nbsp;updates&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chris'&nbsp;job&nbsp;was&nbsp;also&nbsp;having&nbsp;to&nbsp;deal&nbsp;with&nbsp;lockdown&nbsp;issues.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;lot,&nbsp;but&nbsp;I&nbsp;think&nbsp;it&nbsp;brought&nbsp;us&nbsp;closer&nbsp;together.&nbsp;We&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;shared&nbsp;experience&nbsp;that&nbsp;changed&nbsp;us&nbsp;and&nbsp;our&nbsp;country.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;around&nbsp;this&nbsp;time&nbsp;we&nbsp;decided&nbsp;that&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;both&nbsp;tired&nbsp;of&nbsp;being&nbsp;big&nbsp;people&nbsp;and&nbsp;started&nbsp;making&nbsp;our&nbsp;lifestyle&nbsp;changes. Fast&nbsp;forward&nbsp;4&nbsp;years,&nbsp;honestly&nbsp;does&nbsp;NOT&nbsp;seem&nbsp;that&nbsp;long,&nbsp;and&nbsp;here&nbsp;we&nbsp;are&nbsp;engaged.&nbsp;Chris&nbsp;did&nbsp;a&nbsp;good&nbsp;job&nbsp;making&nbsp;me&nbsp;believe&nbsp;it&nbsp;wasn't&nbsp;going&nbsp;to&nbsp;happen,&nbsp;at&nbsp;least&nbsp;not&nbsp;anytime&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;near&nbsp;future.&nbsp;We&nbsp;were&nbsp;in&nbsp;Gulf&nbsp;Breeze,&nbsp;FL,&nbsp;having&nbsp;a&nbsp;relaxing&nbsp;evening&nbsp;just&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;out&nbsp;with&nbsp;his&nbsp;siblings&nbsp;when&nbsp;he&nbsp;asked&nbsp;me&nbsp;to&nbsp;come&nbsp;out&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;porch&nbsp;with&nbsp;him&nbsp;on&nbsp;7/12/24.&nbsp;He&nbsp;looked&nbsp;me&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;eyes,&nbsp;held&nbsp;my&nbsp;hand,&nbsp;and&nbsp;wrapped&nbsp;the&nbsp;handfasting&nbsp;cord&nbsp;around&nbsp;our&nbsp;hands&nbsp;as&nbsp;he&nbsp;proposed.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;so&nbsp;surprised,&nbsp;but&nbsp;told&nbsp;him&nbsp;a&nbsp;thousand&nbsp;times,&nbsp;yes,&nbsp;because&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;thousand&nbsp;lifetimes&nbsp;and&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;thousand&nbsp;ways,&nbsp;I&nbsp;would.

Covid: A Love Story

Our Story

Photos

Eldest of our kids; the consummate over achiever. Makes us all look like slackers!

Kaylie

Second eldest kid and the one who cracks the whip.

Sydney 

True&nbsp;middle&nbsp;child;&nbsp;loves&nbsp;having&nbsp;some&nbsp;power&nbsp;over&nbsp;the&nbsp;younger&nbsp;kids.

Youngest daughter; marches to the beat of her own drum.

Allie

Youngest&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;children&nbsp;and&nbsp;one&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;most&nbsp;responsible&nbsp;people&nbsp;we&nbsp;know.

Tanner

Wedding Party

Q + A

Travel

Here is a small list of activities available in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area.
 
Harder activites for younger folks:
*White Water Rafting - Arkansas River Tours in Ca&#241;on City/Cotopaxi is top recommendation in state
*7 Bridges trail in North Cheyenne Canyon
*Manitou Incline
*Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs - unpaved trails
*Outside of Salida - UTV rentals through https://www.epicsidexsiderentals.com
 
Easy hikes:&#160;
*Tunnel Drive in Ca&#241;on City. Trail is basically flat and parallels the Arkansas River going through tunnels.
*Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs - paved areas
*There are easy trails in North Cheyenne Canyon in Colorado Springs that start right behind the Starsmore Visitor Center and follow along the creek. Plus the beautiful sights in the canyon and the waterfalls are loved by all our guests. Gold Camp Road is a fun adventure with amazing views&#160;
*Just outside of Woodland Park Lake Manitou is a pretty lake stocked with trout and has a fairly level trail all the way around&#160; it. Views from one end looking right at Pikes Peak across the water.&#160;
*The Woman's Trail in Woodland Park
*The walk to see Rita the Troll outside Victor is not very long or difficult if you park at the lot at the top, nice views too. Nice mountain views on the road trip there, too.
*Florissant Fossil Beds easy to get around
 
Other activities:
*Skyline Drive in Ca&#241;on City
*Tubing on the Arkansas River in Ca&#241;on City
*Ziplining - Royal Gorge
*Picnic - Royal Gorge
*Dinosaur stuff - Royal Gorge and Woodland Park&#160;
*Cave of the Winds/Cliff Dwellings - Manitou Springs&#160;
*Cog Railroad to Pikes Peak- Manitou Springs&#160;
*Shopping quirky shops in Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs &amp; Manitou Springs
*North Pole/Santa's Workshop - Cascade
*Cripple Creek - if anyone wants to gamble
*Donkey Derby Days in Cripple Creek: June 27-29th
*Gold mine overlook in Cripple Creek
*Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs
*May Natural History Museum in Colorado Springs
*Colorado Renaissance Faire in Larkspur every weekend from June 14th - August 3rd if you didn't get your fill of medieval revelry.

Meg & Christopher

Meg & Christopher

Photos