Kathy & JR

She played in the church orchestra, he sang in their choir. As much as his voice captivated her, Kathy didn't see JR as more until their paths crossed often, allowing them to become better friends. They served for the homeless downtown and hung out at gatherings. When they were placed on the same missions teams for a trip to Argentina Kathy began to see JR in a different light. In preparation for this trip they spent more time together, having deeper conversations about their visions in life and it was this that attracted her to him as a man of character, passion, humility, and she genuinely loved his company as she felt comfortable talking to him about anything. Little did she know that his feelings were developing for her at the same time.

JR finally had the nerve to tell Kathy how he really felt about her in May 2008 and the rest was history. Just two months later during the missions trip in Argentina, JR had a translator deliver little notes to Kathy throughout the day. The following day, a little girl delievered JR's final note to Kathy asking her to meet him for a walk which ended with the proposal. The priceless moment was captured on video by a friend who was hiding in the bushes nearby. Less than a year following their beautiful wedding in a quaint little garden in San Diego, Kathy learned that she was pregnant with their first child, a baby boy. Settling on the name "Obadiah", they changed their minds after seeing a billboard for a movie starring Jaden Smith (but with the addition of a "y".) Little Jayden put Kathy on a strict diet of anything and everything potato, McDonald's cheeseburgers and fruit loops.

Kathy and I were like siamese cousins growing up. We were joined at the hip since the day we could crawl. We were each other's shadows the way our puppies are to us now. We did everything together and living just a block away made it possible as kids. We'd clean the house floor to ceiling to bribe our parents to let us sleep over. We would set up all of our dolls and play school, teaching them lessons. Piano lessons. Math lessons. Built houses with blankets and legos. We'd pretend the dolls were our babies and dreamed of what it would be like to have our own families one day. Kathy was the one I shared all these experiences with growing up so it was very special the day I got a text from her that she was going to have her first "real" baby. I felt everything she was feeling and can't express how happy and excited I am for her.

I had the pleasure of being there for the baby shower this past weekend during a trip to the Bay, which was just as intimate and full of love as their wedding day and captured their moments together as soon-to-be parents. I know without a doubt they will make an amazing team to raise a beautiful child. Congrats to Kathy and JR!