How we met

Chris:

There I was. It was 2006, the year of the dragon. Although still a student at WIU (go leathernecks!), I was visiting Walla Walla university in Washington for a series of seminars. I don't even remember what the seminars were about (statistical research methods); I just remember I met the most amazing person of my life there.

That person's name was Mari Jo. One day I was at some meet-and-greet thing, standing around awkwardly, not sure who to talk to. I saw some chick approaching me; at first I thought she was wearing glasses, but then I realized she wasn't. Yeah, I don't know why I thought that.

She introduced herself as MJ. "How intriguing", I thought, "This person who I thought was wearing glasses, has for her name the first two letters of the alphabet." I must have been pretty wasted.

She stared at me. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

"No." I replied. From that point on, I knew 1) My name was Chris 2) I would wear a green shirt the next day and 3) we were going to get married eventually.

Incidentally, later that day I met my now good friend Zach, who ignited my passion for properly sorted recylables. Yeah, Zach's a great guy.

MJ:

How did we meet? Oh, I remember that day like is was any other, but it wasn't! It was the day I would meet the ONE. Well, it started like any other, woke up and fed my picher plants, mowed the lawn and made meat loaf. I do this every day...who doesn't like meat loaf? It's actually become a passion of mine. Families whose houses burn down lose their meat and materials to make meat loafs, so that's where I come in. They call me the meat loaf lady. But, that's beside the point, we're talking about my husband!

Well, I was at this seminar for those recovering after their houses burn down. Since, it's my forte, I brought my meat loaf on a cart. My business partner Gail and I set up a booth right next to the fire detectors. We were working hard, supplying meat loaf for families and others too. We just share the wealth. I noticed a man standing in the back of the room, sort of twiddling his thumbs. He looked like he had no idea where the meat loaf was. I could tell that he was smelling it, but seemed to to blind to the fact that we were giving it away.

Me, being the go getter that I am, slapped a piece of meat loaf on a paper plate and ran over to this strange, but intriguing man. "Hi!" I said. He nodded his head. "You like meat loaf?" I asked. "Who doesn't?" he replied as he took the fork I gave him and dug right in. The way he did that told me that he meant business, and I liked that. And he was wearing a Fraggle Rock T shirt, did he even know that was my favorite show growing up?! Not a clue. We struck up a short conversation about Fraggles and then he said that he had to go home and take care of his ferrets. Quick and smooth as ever, I slipped him my meat loaf card and told him to contact me with any meat needs or if he knew anyone who's house is burning down. Let's just say that his house burned down a few weeks later and he called me to help. I was honored and glad that he called me in his time of need. When I went to his house, I found a small pile of brush and a single flame with a house that was obviously still standing. I told him that if he wanted to see me again, he could have just asked me out. So he did. We took a trip to the grocery store the next day and it was official. Ever since then we spent every free moment together.