Jackson

JD and I stumbled upon each other quite haphazardly. We were both in a situation where we didn't know where we were heading, but we both knew things just didn't seem to be working. He was one day away from moving back to Baltimore, and I was attempting to join the military. Thankfully God had other plans for us though, and when we met, it was an instant connection. You've heard stories of how a man saw a woman for the first time and leans over to his buddies and says "I'm gonna marry that woman someday!" That was what happened to the both of us. We went on our first date together, out to a local kaoroke bar, where he sang a handfull of songs, quite beautifully I might add, and we have been inseperable ever since. I was lucky to find someone who wasn't put off by the fact that I have 4 children, and actually, it made him more interested. He's always wanted a family, and for as long as he can remember he's always wanted 4 children, exactly the mix that I have, 2 girls, and 2 boys. It's been wonderful having him here. My children, who I've come to trust their judge of character beyond all others, have fallen in love with him as well. I'll never forget the day that my two year old son told him he loves him as he was walking out the door on his way to work. He later called me and told me that after he walked out, he sat in his car and cried like a baby. Our religion is extremely important to us, as we are both steadfast followers of Christ. We are blessed to be members of a wonderful church family, and we try to stay active within the community. Volunteer work with both the local community and the church community is very important to the both of us.

Anchorage, Alaska

4

LeeAnna Marie, Adam Michael, Jennifer Angel, and Aaron Luke

We have a very loveable yet lazy greyhound named Angel. She was a track rescue, and never won any races. We really should have named her Santa's Little Helper. We also have a gorgeous siamese cat named Cleo. She's the diva of the house, running everything. Despite being a little diva, she's still very loveable and we call her our little "purr-box". We have Aberdeen, an extremely affectionate fat black kitty. She doesn't purr, she "grunts".

I have lived in Alaska pretty much my whole life. I was born in New York, the state not the city, and my parent's relocated to Alaska when I was 2. When I was 16, I moved to Texas for almost 3 years, but came back home before my 19th birthday. And I've been home ever since. JD was born in Maryland, where he lived for almost his entire life, until he joined the Air Force when he was 20. They relocated him to Alaska, where he stayed until his medical seperation when he was 23. He decided to remain in Alaska, which I'm very thankful for. And now we are building our lives together here in Anchorage, Alaska. We've been weighing the possibilities of moving to a much warmer climate, such as Florida as soon as it's financially possible.

LeeAnna- She's 11 years old, and just like her mom. She looks just as I did at her age, and she's got the same spunky, independant attitude as her mother. She's very intelligent, learning at 2 grades above her current level, and she's an extremely fast learner. She's got a mind like a steel trap, the memory of an elephant. She loves basket ball! She's quite the social butterfly, and it ruins her weekend if she doesn't get to go roller skating with her friends on Friday nights, and she's devastated if she can't use the phone. Adam- He's 10 years old and an uncontrollable ball of energy. He has the unbreakable spirit of his father. Extremely happy with everything in life, it takes a LOT to get this boy upset. He's very impulsive, rarely stopping to think about the consequences, but not in a bad way. He's very eager to please, and just wants to see everyone happy! Jenny- 6 years old, she has same unbreakable spirit as the rest of her family. She is always happy, she has a beautiful smile, and an infectious laugh. Always willing to share her things with others, she only wants to see everyone around her laughing and in good spirits. She's fiercly independant, able to spend endless amounts of time alone. Aaron- 2 years old, he's the cuddle bug of the family. He's definitely the baby of the family, and he knows it. He loves his sisters and his brother a great deal. He is starting to talk non-stop now, and actually speaking in sentences. He loves to go for rides in the car, and ALWAYS manages to fall asleep on the ride, no matter how short.

Individually- I spent a weekend in Seattle and did the whole "tourist" thing, which I never do. I stayed in the Bellevue Club Hotel while I was there, ate at some very wonderful resteraunts, include Ruth's Chris Grill. Saw the Space Needle, did the Argosy Harbor Cruise, went to Pike's Place Market. It was absolutely the best vacation I've ever taken. As a family- We spent 2 weeks in Texas visiting with family. Just the time spent at the swimming pool and under that gorgeous sun around friends and family was enough to make it quite memorable. We are planning on taking a road trip this summer, driving down from Alaska all the way to Texas for 2 weeks spent with family again. Also, we are arranging a family trip to Florida this winter, over the Christmas break. We plan on staying near Orlando and visiting with family there, and exploring Disney World, Epcot, and Universal Studios, among others. It should turn out to be quite the adventure!

Every moment that we spend together is held and cherished. We all have a deep understanding that life is really too short, and we truely appreciate every moment we spend together. That being said, we enjoy taking the kids swimming on Sundays after church. Friday nights are the family game nights, and lately, we've been having a lot of fun with Uno Attack. Mondays are the pizza and a movie night, and we've got a list of movies to go through!

JD has an amazing voice and is more than willing to let anyone hear it! Tammy has a quick wit to her that many fall victim to. LeeAnna is a last minute kind of person, usually waiting until the night before a project is due to even attempt it, and always winds up getting tops marks them! Adam has a MASSIVE Marvel card collection Jennifer is a very talented soccer player Aaron is the glue of the family.

March 5: JD and Tammy's anniversary April 29: JD's birthday September 28: LeeAnna's birthday October 7: Tammy's birthday October 9: Aaron's birthday December 6: Adam's birthday December 18: Jenny's birthday

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