Our Story

This past weekend, while in West Monroe celebrating my sister's birthday, Chris and I enjoyed a stroll down memory lane. We rode by the college where we met in December 1993 (1st photo.) At the time, this was Northeast Louisiana University. They have since changed the name to University of Louisiana at Monroe.

We met in Hanna Hall at a 8:00 Geology class. Hanna Hall.....why didn't we name one of our H's Hanna? We were going to name Hadley Hannah, but that changed when I had my appendix out during her 4th month in the womb. That's another story... Anyway, We met at Hanna Hall (photo 2) He made an A, I made a D. I was young and couldn't get there at 8. I would get there around 8:20. It was a HUGE class. Chris sat in the front, I sat in the back. I would sneak in late, crawl on the floor so the professor wouldn't see me. The guy that sat next to me would hold the role until I got there. Oh, those were the days....

Our first date was at Ernesto's restaurant. (photo 3)A little old house, or shack, in the Garden District of Monroe. I had chicken tacos. Chris had....ok, I forgot. Chris wore a purple long sleeve button down shirt. His jeans were dark and he wore boots. That's right folks, boots. His hair was BLOND, bright blond, from being outside. His hair use to turn blond every summer. I had on the "elf outfit" as he use to call it. Purple sleeveless long jacket and black tights. He picked me up at my parent's house for lunch. He was leaving the next day for his Marine duty. It was LOVE at first sight.

I still remember getting his first call. I was standing in my parent's bedroom. I had skipped school that day. He called from the campus, where he worked, to explain that he was Chris, he was in my Geology class and lived next door to my friend Allison, and wanted to know why I wasn't in class. I was caught off guard..and thrilled!

I grew up on Pine Grove Circle. (Photo 4) It was a nice little house full of wonderful memories. I remember my Dad enclosing the garage and making a game room. I remember the coke machine located right inside the door - ready to offer an ice cold drink when I got off the bus. There was a pool table in the room as well. And the carpet had squares...that I use to count...when I was bored! My sister and I shared a room. I remember sitting up late at night talking about the Dukes of Hazard. Because she was the BIG sister, she got to have Bo for a boyfriend...I was stuck with Luke.

Our back yard was big. At least to my small eyes it was big. We had LOTS of cats. I loved those cats and I spent many hours playing with them. There were lots of kids in the neighborhood. Once the kids next door had a bunch of kids over and for some reason or another my sister and I weren't invited... we decided to treat them to some yummy chocolate marsh mellows.. we took mini marsh mellows and rolled them in the dirt. Once they were nice and brown, we took them to the fence and served them to the kids! They ate them. Wow...those were the days.

Chris and I plan to go back and take pictures of everywhere we've lived. If we can remember them all! 15 years is a long time. I think we've moved 9 times since we got married. I think.....not sure.

Good times.