We are on the journey of a lifetime that is for sure! The only problem is that it seems like everything is happening so fast that before you blink twice we will be kissing grandbabies. “Make the most of everyday, life is short” and other phrases all have new meaning to me as my family so quickly grows up.ÂÂ

It was only yesterday that I was a kid myself. I met my blushing bride, Wendy, when I was 22 years old — in July of 1982 to be exact. I must be old, huh? Anyway, I was from a broken home and one of my biggest desires in life was to have a family of my own that would be all that I envisioned a family should be. Wendy and I were married only four months later. Can you imagine? You meet someone and walk down the aisle a few short months later? I wonder how many people thought Wendy and I didn’t have a chance. I wonder how many people thought we were crazy. I guess it doesn’t matter what anyone thought because, by the grace of God, Wendy and I will be married for 25 years this November! Some things are just meant to be!

So, I guess in the end I can’t really say much about Michelle and Ben. They are so far ahead of where I was at 22; it is really a good thing. How can I be critical of Ben when he has been holding a full-time job for years, goes to school full time and works on his spiritual life by learning Christian values and faith?

In contrast, when I was 22, I was partying like there was no tomorrow, got kicked out of college because of poor academic performance, had a job selling door-to-door and was so far from God and what is right it couldn’t be measured. In fact, one of the old stodgy ministers at the church we were to be married at told us that we shouldn’t go through with it! He wouldn’t marry us! We had to go to a friend of Wendy’s family to find someone to marry us. Once we were married, God used Wendy to help me get my life on the right track! My marriage to Wendy changed my life. I don’t think the church leaders ever would have seen that happening.

So knowing full well where I came from, I still had huge reservations about Ben. Why? Every parent just wants what is best for their kids, and the strange irony is that no one will ever be good enough for your daughter at age 16, 17, 18, 19 or even 20. I think a lot of my concerns stem from the early age that they met. Imagine seeing your daughter getting into a relationship that young. It is not what a dad normally dreams about for their daughter. And Michelle is my firstborn! My baby. Ben could have been the Prince of Monaco and he would not have been able to win me over. Sorry, Ben.

Surprisingly, if Ben came along when Michelle was done with school, had her own her career and was at least 25, Ben’s arrival may have been welcomed. Same person, different timing. Should timing play such a big role in acceptance? Yes — go prove yourself, your character, your resolve to do the right thing and your love for my daughter and I may embrace you with open arms, or maybe not.

Seeing my daughter become someone’s wife, move out of our home and start her own family has proven to be more difficult than I would have imagined. I know it is the natural order of things. She is supposed to grow up and move on and start her own family. But still it is a difficult transition. I was depressed for two days after the wedding.

My family is shrinking. Perhaps some of my “wanting to hang on” is related to the worst possible tragedy that can happen to a parent. We had to bury our middle child, Joey, at the tender age of 10. What a horrible thing to happen.

Joey was born with Down syndrome and had autism spectrum disorder. He died due to the negligence of many people. This loss is the most heart-wrenching pain that can be imagined. This is <i>not</i> what we perceive to be the natural order of things. Parents are not supposed to outlive their children. If we didn’t have the confidence that Joey is in heaven and we will see him again someday, I don’t think I could bare it. In fact, without faith, I don’t think our family would be anywhere near what we are today. Finding faith, this is how we live, this is how we die.ÂÂ

It may sound silly but perhaps in some strange way any transition in my family regarding the children moving out is connected somehow to the abrupt and sad moving out of Joey. Everything we have done as parents is to prepare all the kids to fly on their own. But somehow, when I let go of Michelle there was at least a twinge of regret, a twinge of sadness for the nostalgia of yesterday.

Even though Joey has moved out and up to heaven, away from us in the most permanent of ways on earth, the power of his life and the beauty of his soul live on in Joey’s Gift, an organization that we started. While Joey never learned to speak, his life is directly impacting families who are taking care of children with special needs. Through Joey’s Gift we are focused on bringing the community together in support of family caregivers who take care of loved ones with special needs. Because of Joey’s impact on our family we are involved in things that we otherwise never would have imagined on our own. We have hope in the future and Joey lives on!

Now that it looks like my little chickadee is flying on her own, we can look toward the horizon with hope that now our family will actually grow again! It may be shrinking for the short-term, but long-term we are growing! But Michelle ? there is no hurry for me to become a grandfather! Take you time with the growing family part! You still have a 6-year-old brother; he should be at least 16 before he can be an uncle.

We are blessed with five children — Michelle, Amy, Joey, Jennifer and Bobby. We love them all dearly and want them to grow in stature and favor with God and man. And someday in the future we will meet our children’s kids and also love them like our own. What a wonderful world!

Once the wedding was over, this thought overrode any negative fear that Michelle may have made a mistake. It was the one thought that helped everything make sense.

I can’t fight the inevitable for my daughter. She is called. I believe with all my heart that one of her purposes in life is to bring blessing and prosperity to the Wright line! Ben’s line was on the verge of collapse — no other brothers, no male Wright cousins that I know about.

Could it be that Michelle has been chosen by God to become the central female figure in the future Wright family? I know Ben’s family might not see this yet, but I never really saw anything more clearly. It will be no surprise when I see Michelle have her third Wright son and those sons bringing honor and life to the Wright family. Won’t it be fun to see, 60 years from now, our Michelle as the central female figure of a huge family? Wow, how can I fight it?

Ben, welcome to our family! I will learn to love you and bless you over the years as you take care of our most precious gift, Michelle, the future matriarch of the Wright line. Onward and upward Michelle and Ben Wright.

– Bob Minotti

Find out more about Joey’s Gift here.

 My little brother, Joey, died when he was 10 years old due to being neglected by someone who was supposed to be watching him. He was special needs but he touched everyone’s life that met him. He was such an incredible little boy.

It’s such a tragedy to lose someone so close, especially when they are only a child. My little brother’s death shook my family like nothing else we had ever encountered. But we stuck together and stayed strong and my family started an amazing organization that helps families with special needs children get what we call a “healthy break.”

Watching my parents raise a child with special needs showed me how much work it is and how very important it is that a family isn’t consumed with so many hectic challenges. With the Joey’s Gift organization, we get all the special needs children from the area together to play games, do crafts, watch puppet shows and just have a good time while their parents take a break. We do this with the support of Easter Seals and volunteers from the area. So hopefully someday we can help families all over the United States take that “healthy break.”

Find out more about Joey’s Gift here.

About Ben and I

Ben and I met in an odd way. When I was a sophomore in high school, I went to the mall with my mom and sister during winter break. My sister needed new tennis shoes so we went into a shoe store. There was a boy working there who made it completely obvious that he was flirting with me. I wanted to give him my phone number but, since I was only 15 years old at the time, my mother wouldn’t let me — lol. When we were leaving the mall, two of my friends were walking in. I pulled them aside and told them there was a cute boy working in the shoe store and asked them to go give him my number for me. Yes, I defied my mother; she was not happy with me.

The cute boy called me that night from his cousin’s house. We talked for about two weeks on the phone and online, and then I found out from his buddy info on instant messenger that he had a GIRLFRIEND. Yes, a girlfriend! I could not believe it. I immediately stopped talking to him. But about a week later I saw he signed online and decided to say hello and see if we could be friends. It turned out to be his cousin, Ben. We hit it off right away and were together about a week later! So, was it fate? If I had listened to my mother would I have ever met the man I fell in love with and married — lol? We’ll never know, I guess, but it was definitely worth it =)

When it comes to marriage tips, I think I could write a book. I may lose my cool sometimes — everyone does at some point or another — but I’ve learned to stay calm during an argument because it makes things much easier. Freaking out and yelling and cutting the other person down just makes things worse. Having self-control is the key to a lasting marriage. It’s obvious. You need to fight smart. Sit down, have a talk, be an adult ? you’re married! It makes things much nicer at home when everyone is happy and not upset about something someone said out of anger. Though it is hard sometimes to stay calm if you’re mad, it’s worth it in the end. Everyone slips and makes mistakes, but the sooner you make up, the better. Never let a fight drag on! Just fix it!!

This love story is sad from the start. Maribel ran away from her Florida home to be with Julio in New York. Her family blames him for her not going to college and they remain icy towards the couple.

“Some people say we’re too young to be married. We’ll be happy forever,” Maribel says.

My heart is already breaking a little. Read more…

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Cassie and I met each other in the beginning of September 2006. Two weeks later, we were dating, and less than a month later she proposed to me. People may think it was too early for us to get married, but we totally knew what we were doing. From the first day we hung out, we fell in love immediately and have spent every night and day with each other. We just can’t get enough!

The difference between Cassie and I hasn’t gone unnoticed. We’re exact opposites. We hardly have the same interests in anything — we don’t really like the same music, she hates being outside, I hate playing dress up. Even though we clash in many ways, the main thing that we both have learned is to compromise. What we love makes us who we are, and Cassie is willing to learn to like the things I love to do and the same goes for me. Cassie’s a prissy, spoiled, pessimistic princess while I’m more laid-back and optimistic. I swear we were made for each other. Not until now do I believe opposites attract!

When we first got engaged, our parents didn’t take us seriously when we said we wanted to get married. I think they might have been a little confused at first, but we wouldn’t take no for an answer. My mother, Rafaela, didn’t really start working on her part in our ceremony until the last couple of weeks and, because of that, everyone was freaking out because of the time shortage. It was June before we even knew it. Stress levels were high and heads were butting like crazy.

I’m pretty chill when it comes to making decisions; whatever Cassie likes, I like. But when planning a wedding, things were a little different. Seeing Cassie stress made me stress. She and my mother had a little falling out, but things turned out OK in the end. After all the arguments and confusion, we all got through it and made everything as beautiful as possible. The ceremony and reception was almost as perfect as we wanted it to be.

On the morning of the wedding, I realized I hadn’t even written my vows! So I just took some time to erase all the negativity and remember all the reasons why I fell in love with Cassie. In the couple of minutes I had left before heading out to English Gardens, on a little piece of paper, this is what I wrote: “Cassie, I love you more than anything in this world. From the beginning I knew you were the one for me, and I will always live on knowing that. With you, judgment and pain does not exist. I want to share my future, conquer all my goals and achieve all my happiness with you. Everything I am belongs to you and I’ll dedicate my life to us. You are my everything, my love, my peace of mind. You are perfection and together we are the ultimate. I love you, Cassie.”

As of now, we’re currently still in the parent’s house but we’re in the process of moving out. So far, so good. We still need some time to get things together but we’re in love and everything should be just fine. Though we don’t have our own place yet, we have everything we need. We went furniture shopping the first two weeks we were dating — we were totally prepared for this! Cassie and I are working on getting out in about three to four weeks; things should be pretty good then.

To the lesbians out there that are preparing to “come out” to the world: take it slowly. When you come out to your parents, don’t force them to understand or accept it. Give them time and eventually they’ll realize you’re never going to change. Go with the flow and, if you let it be, it’ll all go your way.

If you’re ever planning on getting married make sure:

1. The parents do the planning with each other and with you.

2. You have no budget (they never work anyway).

3. To enjoy your day! If you stress too much, you’ll miss out on the good things. It only happens once, so embrace it.

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After our wedding, Julio and I went to the hotel and had so much fun! We hung out and spent time together. I kept asking him if he believed we were married. I still can’t believe we are married!

The next day, we had to drop my sister off at the airport because she was going back home. On the way to the airport, we went to the mall and bought so much stuff! Julio and I met my dad at the airport and we all said goodbye. I got really sad and on the way back home we decided to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. It will be fun.

When Julio and I got home, it was time to clean! We cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. The apartment was such a mess! Gifts and trash were everywhere, the bed was unmade, there were dirty dishes in the sink; it was horrible. But we cleaned and then just hung out all day.

Married life is awesome! I love it! I love being called Mrs. Aliaga. It’s such an unexplainable feeling when you know you are going to be with the person you love for the rest of eternity!

How We Met

Julio and I went to high school together. We met at the end of my junior year, his senior year. We hit it off right away. I always thought he was such a cutie but I never imagined we would date! We started talking and becoming friends and it was totally obvious that we were attracted to each other but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. We finally started going out, and after that we were inseparable! Everyone thought we were going to break up because we were ALWAYS together; we never wanted to be apart. Everyone was against us (all that high school drama). There were girls that liked him and wanted us to break up, and everyone was telling him to break up with me because it wasn’t going to last. (I’m the one laughing now).

We are still inseparable and we never fight. We are now married and we couldn’t be happier! When I first started dating him, I wanted it to last, and he wanted the same thing. When he first said that he loved me and I realized that I felt the same way, I was hooked. I said to myself, “I am NOT going to let him go,” and I didn’t. I knew he was my soul mate and I wanted to be with him forever.

Advice for Newlyweds

1. Make lots of love. It’s a BIG thing in a marriage.

2. If something is bothering you or you feel bored, say something! Keeping your mouth shut is what causes problems and cheating and bad stuff. You have to share these kinds of things with your spouse.

3. NEVER go to bed angry. The worst feeling in the world is waking up and knowing you both are still mad at each other.

Yes, we are young but we are in love and couldn’t be happier. I love Julio with all my heart, and I have never loved anyone more than I love him. He completes me and he loves me even with all my flaws and imperfections. He loves me for who I am, and that’s what I love about him. He makes me laugh and takes care of me and always wants to make me happy. I do the same thing. We both go out of our way to make the other one happy, and I think that’s what makes our marriage work.

Julio’s blogs

Hey guys, it’s Julio!

What is the definition of marriage? What is the definition of love? The only answer I can give you is that YOU create the definition. Don’t let anybody make one up for you. Life is hard. Marriage is even harder. If you are young and you want to get married, just think that you have your whole life ahead of you. You don’t really have a profession or a secure job yet, so what you are about to do must be thought out — a lot — with your partner.

I am Latino and I have always wanted to have a serious relationship, but I guess girls don’t want that anymore, at least all the girls I have met. Maribel and I met in gym class, during the last three months of my senior year. If that isn’t destiny, what is? If I hadn’t met her on that specific day, I never would have met her at all. She would have gone to Florida forever. Maribel and I share something that is really special and I know that without it, I couldn’t go on. We share not only love but also the same dreams, hopes, personality traits, goals and beliefs.

So, what is the definition of love? MY definition is finding, as some might call it, your soul mate. She or he is the one that misses you when you are not next to them, loves you when you are next to them and loves you in both good and bad times. I hope that everybody that reads this can someday experience the same feelings I feel for Maribel. I wish you all good luck. Be responsible ? but sometimes take chances.

Another Julio blog

After having a wonderful dream wedding, we had to come down from cloud nine and come back to the real world. We work a lot, just to pay bills. But I am still happy. As you saw on Engaged and Underage, being with Maribel brought many problems. Not many people believed that we could be together — friends, family, even strangers. They didn’t think that we could make it.

I had a lot of problems with Maribel’s father because he also didn’t think that we could be happy together on our own. I think that, by now — after Maribel ran away, after we rented a room in one of the most expensive towns in New York, after having two cars, after taking care of each other while still being young and having fun — we have proven to everybody and anybody that we made it. And we will still be happy, even after all the economic problems (which most normal married couples have).

Marriage is not easy. You have to work with your partner in many situations because now you are going to see all their flaws and imperfections. I love Maribel and I always will, and no matter what we will always be there for each other.

If you would like to see just how big our love is, you can see it at www.myspace.com/amorsote
**The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds ? and that’s what you’ve given me.**

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After Krystle and I left the wedding, we spent the night at a hotel in Waldorf, Maryland. The next day we went to a brunch at Krystle’s mom’s house. All of our parents were there and we got to open our wedding gifts. Then we hit the road for Williamsburg, Virginia. We had it in our heads when we first got there that we were going to do so much stuff, being it was not only our honeymoon but also the first time Krystle and I have gone on vacation together. Plus, after all the wedding stuff, we were pretty exhausted. We did some stuff — Colonial Williamsburg, Water Country, outlet shopping and so on — but mainly we just relaxed and spent time together, alone. Being alone (with cell phones turned off) and being able to relax with no wedding stuff left to do was the best part of the honeymoon. We had a blast. Maybe next time we go there we’ll do a lot more stuff, but this time I’m happy that we were so lazy.

Getting Settled In

Krystle here! Thought I’d let everyone know how Kiel and I are doing now that we live together and how I’ve been doing in my new home. The job market down here in S.C. is a little flooded, so I haven’t found a job yet. But I’ve been using that free time to my advantage, getting the house straight, exercising and being such a good little “housewife.” (Personally, I can’t wait to work because being a housewife isn’t as easy as most people think ? there’s always something that needs to be cleaned, and we all know I don’t clean!)

I’ve made a few friends down here; some are from Kiel’s work and some are wives of the guys Kiel works with. Believe it or not, one of my friend’s that I’ve known since I was 16 was stationed down here and lives in the apartment complex right next door to ours! So I’ve been doing OK. I miss my friends from Maryland like crazy but Brian and Alex have already come down here to visit. I hope that they come back and my other friends make the trip soon.

We recently found out that Kiel might have to go out of town around my birthday for training, so I might have to spend my 21st birthday without him. My friends back in the D.C. area already know about this, so I guess I’ll just have to spend my birthday back home — awww, shucks! It will be nice to be able to spend some time with my friends and family. It sucks that Kiel won’t be there for my 21st birthday but he promises he’ll make it up to me.

Overall, I am so happy to be married and be able to fall asleep next to Kiel and basically have all the time in the world with him. I feel as though the world is our oyster and that we can do anything we want. I’ll be going back to school in the winter and getting my BA in English, and after that who knows. I was a little scared at the thought that I’d never accomplish my goals of graduating college and becoming a writer if I got married, but now I realize that Kiel is this wonderful driving force that helps push me to my goals. And I’ll do whatever I need to do to help him accomplish his goals.

Now that Kiel and I aren’t dealing with the hassle of a long-distance relationship, things are just wonderful. We’re communicating better than ever and we’re more in love than ever. I feel only possibility with us.

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Cory and I first met in 3rd grade and have been best friends ever since. I used to stay at his house for up to a week without ever going home to see my own family. There isn’t much, if anything, that has ever happened to either one of us without the other one knowing about it. But one thing that did kind of slip right past me was Cory and Jewel getting to know each other so well. It happened so quickly, I tried to warn Cory to back off and slow down a little bit. But they ended up getting married, which isn’t bad overall. I don’t necessarily agree with it but if Cory is happy then I have no choice but to support him.

At first I really didn’t like the way Jewel treated Cory, and I still don’t totally like it, as you all can see how rude and demanding she can be. It’s obvious that Cory will eventually get tired of it; most would. But to defend Jewel, she really does a lot for Cory. It really is a give and take relationship (Cory giving a little more than Jewel). Personally, I do not think that Cory will be able to stay with Jewel for the rest of his life if she doesn’t relax a little bit. Cory does absolutely everything for her and will eventually get tired of it. I don’t like that Cory settled down so soon — he is only 21 and has only had one girlfriend. But, in the end, I hope for the best for them because I am Cory’s best friend and now one of Jewel’s.

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When my relationship with Jewel started getting serious, I invited her to meet my real girlfriend … my bike, Ole Betsy. They talked a bit; she rode her around awhile. They really hit it off, so I invited Jewel to watch me ride at our skate park, X-Wave. I remember Jewel brought her friend Kelsey to come watch. I put Jewel and Kelsey on the box jump at the skate park. I was really nervous ’cause I had to make a good impression on this hot babe that came to watch me ride. So I dropped in and started really shredding; pulling all my tricks real smooth. I have been in a lot of contests and done a lot of demos in my life but I have never been so nervous before. Jewel is my good luck charm when it comes to pulling new tricks. If I ever need that extra boost to pull a trick I just ask Jewel to come out to the park and watch me ride. I guess that’s how I knew Jewel was the one. She does everything in the world to make me happy. I love you, Jewel.

The Honeymoon’s Over
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Well, our honeymoon is finally over. I wanted to stay on that boat and cruise the ocean for a least a few more weeks. It was definitely nice and relaxing, having nothing to do for a week, after our stressful wedding. I spent a large part of our honeymoon sleeping in a comfortable bed. I really needed it after working from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day for two weeks straight, trying to get our house ready, selling ice cream and landing a job as a police officer. The cruise was really great. Jewel and I went to Jamaica, Cozumel and the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands were definitely my favorite. The beaches were so beautiful. It was like paradise…

How We Met: From Jewel

So, Cory and I went to high school together (he was one year older than me). We knew of each other but didn’t meet until my junior year (his senior year) in art class. We sat at the same table and I had a HUGE crush on him. We flirted occasionally until one day I had the guts to tell one of his friends that I liked him. So, of course, his friend told him I had the hots for him. But to my dismay, he completely rejected me! He said I wasn’t his “type” and that he already had a girlfriend — his bike! I shrugged it off, dated other guys and the last I saw of him was at his graduation. I was taking pictures for the yearbook and asked him to pose for me.
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Cut to my high school graduation and me moving off to college 5 1/2 hours away…
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I wasn’t too happy about being that far away from my friends and family in the first place and one night I was online and remembered I had gotten Cory’s screen name from his friend; I was so bored I checked to see if he was online, and sure enough he was. Long story short, we talked online for about a week, then had all night phone conversations, which progressed to us dating. Granted, we hadn’t seen each other since he graduated two years before. So, we decided to take pics of ourselves and mail them to each other. I was so anxious waiting to get that package hoping that I still thought he was hot — and vice versa. Thankfully, he was still sooo cute!
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He told me he loved me for the first time in a text message and from then on I was hooked. He drove up with my dad and brother — whom he bravely met without me — to get me for the holidays, and I decided to change colleges and majors to be closer to him. My parents thought I was crazy but I just knew he was the guy I was gonna marry!
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Thankfully, everything went great after that! We’ve had our fights, for sure, but at the end of the day I know that there is no one else in the world I would rather fall asleep with at night. Cory is my rock and my best friend. I couldn’t imagine my life without him!
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Marriage Advice for Newlyweds
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Being married is wonderful and fabulous, but it requires work. Here are some of my tips for a wonderful marriage:
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1. NEVER go to bed angry. It’s no fun waking up and trying to remember why you were mad at each other.

2. Make “love on me time” for each other. Ask your spouse what he or she needs to feel loved and make it happen — whether it be a bubble bath, a foot massage, a sweet note or trying a new thing she read about in <i>Cosmo</i> magazine (hehe).
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3. Keep going on dates. Don’t become an “old married couple.”

4. Girls, don’t stop trying to look your best! (Just ’cause you got ‘em doesn’t mean you ain’t gotta keep ‘em!)

5. Guys, just because we’re your wives now doesn’t mean we became your mothers. Pick up after yourself, put the toilet seat down, don’t fart or belch in front of us, etc.

6. COMPROMISE. This relationship is not all about you!
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7. Support each other. Believe in each other’s goals and help each other accomplish your dreams, because if one of you succeeds both of you will prosper.
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8. Find a hobby that you both enjoy and make time to do it together.
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9. Save your money and be as financially prepared as you can be. Just because you’re young does not mean you can’t be money savvy. Meet with financial advisors and map out future plans.
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10. Lastly, but most importantly, have TONS of sex. Good marriages need lots of it!

J

 Here are some tips for couples thinking of getting hitched!

You always hear everyone say that marriage is “a lot harder then it looks.” Well, they aren’t lying. There needs to be a lot of patience. I’ve learned some new things about Josh that drive me absolutely crazy. Like he washes dishes by dunking them all together and squirting soap in the sink! Ew! My manager told me something very wise when it comes to housework: You either let someone else do it and go crazy, and then you have to just redo it again OR you can just shut up about it and do it yourself. SO, I’ve decided to do all the housework in order to keep my sanity — lol.

Otherwise, Josh has been the greatest husband! He’s way more then I ever could have expected! Sometimes I find myself taking him for granted (which is very rare). If you have someone special in your life, whether it’s a significant other or family/friends, always express how you feel about them. I always tell Josh he is gorgeous, sexy, smart and the best husband, and Josh always tells me I’m the best wife, even when there are two-day-old dishes in the sink.

Always accept your spouse’s weird habits — no one’s perfect! I have bad habits, like making a mess whenever I enter a room. My mom always said I was born with a tail … ’cause I end up knocking everything over wherever I go. But Josh never complains about clothes piling up or papers being left on the table. Whenever I clean he usually tells me not to; he wants me to just relax Basically my husband is the best thing ever — lol. I love him to death.

Anyway, my point is when it comes to marriage, don’t be quick to judge your spouse. You’re not perfect either. Always appreciate what you have and express your feelings (good or bad). Without communication you’re leading yourselves into a train wreck. Good luck to whoever is getting themselves into marriage. Really think it through before you do it; it should be taken seriously.

Hey ladies and gents, Josh here.

I just want to give everyone an update about everything that has been happening since the Engaged and Underage cameras left us. I was off work for two weeks, which was nice. But we needed to put food on the table, so I went back and haven’t worked less than 40 hours per week since. Erica is working a few days a week now, too, so that is helping with the massive amount of bills we pay.

I just took my polygraph test a few days ago for the dispatcher job I am trying to get. Boy, was it nerve-racking. They put you in this chair and pull two cords around your chest very tightly to the point where you can barely breathe. Since it was difficult to breathe, I guess I was breathing differently than I normally do, so the test administrator told me to “stop controlling my breathing” about three times. My hands felt like ice and my left arm became numb each time the cuff was inflated, but since I didn’t lie I should be in the clear. Keep your fingers crossed!

Adjusting to life on our own has been pretty smooth in my opinion. It seems as if we have no time for anything since we are always so busy with random things, but I must admit that it is somewhat my fault. I am addicted to the best TV show ever made: 24, starring Kiefer Sutherland. My groomsman Randy and I have been loaning out our box sets of 24 to people at work, and the addiction is spreading like wildfire carrying the Black Death. Erica has different sentiments when it comes to my appreciation for this show. I try to watch it as much as I can, but Erica gets mad at me and doesn’t let me watch it when she’s around. Everything will be alright as soon as I finish seasons 4 and 5, then no more 24 for me … until season 7 begins in January. I don’t know how I will accomplish this, but I have made it my goal to get a part on the show. I don’t care how small a role it is, but I need to be in this show. I have a problem…

Anywho, I can’t complain one bit about married life. Ten million guys would kill to be with my lady, and I can’t blame them. Erica is the total package. She has brains, personality and, of course, beauty. Each day random events remind us that we are soul mates. For example, Erica was telling me about these little Spooky Town villages for sale, and as soon as I saw what she was talking about, I fell in love with them too. You must understand we are Halloween freaks.

The Story of Erica and Josh

The story of how Erica and Josh became one is a very complex one. It all began with the aid of a computer and the way-too-popular Website, MySpace. As Erica was on the prowl, browsing tons of male’s profiles, she came across one that caught her interest. It was Josh. She decided to pursue this fellow through AOL Instant Messenger and found that Josh was willing to talk to her, since he didn’t have much to do outside of work and school. After talking back and forth for a couple weeks, Erica finally found enough courage to visit Josh while he was working. At first, Josh thought it was somewhat strange that a girl wanted to meet him after only talking on the Internet, but he agreed to the meeting. When Josh saw Erica approaching him, his jaw just about dropped to the floor. Damn was she fine! I remember sweat trickling down my sides and the feeling of throw up curdling in my stomach. It was a very awkward first meeting, but well worth it!

The next time Erica and Josh met offline was at a concert featuring Every Time I Die, Between the Buried and Me and Haste the Day. In the couple hours they spent together, they were able to have much more of a conversation than was possible over the Internet, and feelings of interest began brewing much greater than ever before. It was this night where the first image of Erica and Josh was captured. I must say that I look like the biggest nerd of all time, while Erica maintains her model prowess that is never absent when she is caught on film.

Shortly after this night, Erica brought up the proposition to Josh about joining her on a trip to San Francisco for a photo shoot. Erica wanted Josh to pretend to be her boyfriend for this photo shoot, to which Josh replied “yes” without a moment of hesitation. On this road trip, Josh and Erica talked nonstop and didn’t sleep for three days, but that was a small price to pay for what was to become of this friendly relationship at the time. The connection was apparent and strong to say the least.

Some of these pictures from the photo shoot can still be found on Josh and Erica’s MySpace pages today! Needless to say, it was only days after the end of this trip that the two became romantically involved, and the rest is history.

We have had many fun times and experiences throughout our relationship, and I will leave all of you now with a few pictures from when we visited Magic Mountain almost a year ago. I wore Erica’s jean shorts, which caught the attention of many people for some odd reason.

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Hey Nae,
Thanks for watching Engaged and Underage. I hope you really enjoyed it. Yes, we are from Louisiana, in Ascension Parish. That’s cool to hear that you are from around here, too. No, I don’t think you’re crazy, don’t worry — LOL. Well, anyway, it was very stressful and we were all stressed basically the last two or three weeks leading up to the wedding. We basically just had a lot of family conflicts, but my mom is really there for us. We help her out with a lot of things and she helps us out as well. Well, thanks a bunch and e-mail back soon.
TTYL,
April and Kenny
Hey Stephen,
Thanks for watching Engaged and Underage. I hope you enjoyed it. I think we are going to last a good while because of all the crap we’ve already been through just trying to be together. Everyone tried to break us up and didn’t think we would last, but look where we are today. We are starting to go to church on Saturday nights, and will hopefully start going on Sundays when Kenny has off. But he works shift work so you know how that is rough sometimes. I know we may not seem like laid back people in the show because we were all under a lot of stress, but actually now that everything is over and done with, we are all much happier — lol. And we are laid back and just trying to have a good time. A lot of my friends say that they like hanging out with both of us because Kenny is crazy sometimes (but in a good, funny way), which is a very loving fact about him. But basically what I’ve learned during the past three years of being with him is that we can’t worry about what other people think of us because if we do we will never last. Everyone has their opinions and they are not always good. Well, anyway, if you would like to know more feel free to message back. Thanks a bunch.
TTYL,
April and Kenny