Our Message

Dear Friends,

Thanks for taking the time to get to know us; we recognize the importance the decisions you are considering and we pray that you’ll find strength and guidance as you consider your options and try to figure out what is best for you and those that are close to you.

Once Upon a Time…

As told by Katie… In 2005 a friend asked me to go to our student ward’s stake dance with her. I wasn’t big into that kind of stuff but decided it couldn’t hurt, and it was something to get us out of the apartment. The same night, Justin’s friend asked him to “bring his ‘A’ game” to the student ward’s stake dance. He wasn’t super excited about it either, but obliged.

Ever been to one of those dances? If you have, you know that boy, do they get hot and stuffy! My friend and I decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air. On our way out the door, we were met by two boys (men?) who proceeded to invite us to the ice cream parties they held every day that ended in ‘y’. It was a strange conversation, but also a memorable one that would be talked about long after the dance was over. When my mom asked me the next day if I met any cute boys at the dance, I responded that I met some guys that would be fun to hang out with, but certainly none that I would ever date (don’t stop here, continue reading).

The next day, my phone rang and the voice on the other end of the line asked me if I wanted to come to an ice cream party (it was Tuesda’y’, after all!). I responded that I had to work a graveyard shift that night, but as long as I could finish my ice cream and make it to work by 11pm, I would be there. Justin picked me up at my house and, like a gentleman, opened the car door for me. He was so excited to get out of there that he shut my foot in the door! It could have been a sign of a difficult night ahead. However, the party went great, and that seemingly non-date-able boy seemed a little bit more date-able after spending more time with him. I made it to work on time, and that first ice cream party was just the beginning of many parties that led to the biggest, best party of all – our wedding in January of 2006.

Things We Love

During the summer most weekends are filled with hiking, camping, or our new favorite activity - backpacking. We try to discover new places each year – we’ve found that some of the most beautiful places on earth can only be seen if you pack up your tent and sleeping bag, strap on your backpack, and start walking!

We also like to take at least one vacation each year as a couple (most of the time backpacking tends to be more of a hard-working adventure – not so much a relaxing vacation). This year we can’t wait to go on a cruise to celebrate our fifth anniversary! The remaining summer weekends are filled with barbecues, photography adventures, going to the drive-in movies, and letting our dog Charlie drag us around the neighborhood on our rollerblades.

In the winter we enjoy snowshoeing, skiing, sledding down the stairs that go from our deck to our back patio, and playing in the snow with our dog Charlie Brown. Our first Christmas together we cut down our own tree – lighting and decorating our hand-picked tree on Black Friday quickly became our favorite tradition. Another favorite winter activity of ours is cuddling up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, some hot chocolate, and a warm blanket to watch a movie or read Christmas stories.

Katie about Justin

Everyone who knows Justin considers him their friend – I have never met a person who didn’t love him. Plus, I am extra lucky because I get to be his best friend! His kind and gentle ways immediately put people at ease in his presence.

He is very organized and always has goals he is working to achieve. Whether it’s work related, training for a marathon, or being better about writing in his journal, he is constantly working to improve himself in some way.

Justin is the most patient person I know. When we were dating, his little brother backed a car into his BMW. When he broke the news to him, Justin didn’t even flinch. He said “As long as it gets fixed, I don’t care.” I remember being impressed with that – who doesn’t get mad when their little brother wrecks their car? As you may have guessed, he is also quick to forgive and forget.

When I was the stake young women camp leader, I remember feeling overwhelmed with my calling and very nervous to take charge of 150 girls and women. Justin came to girls camp with me – all five days of it – just to help with whatever I needed! That spoke volumes of his love for me.

On the days I work, he wakes up with me at 6am and makes me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to take for lunch. Then he throws in a surprise like some Oreos, a candy bar, or some other treat. Everyone at work is convinced I trained him to do that – but I keep telling them that he does it all on his own. Apparently that is hard to believe! (This is Justin – I’m going to interject here; for the record, a PB and J is not the only thing I know how to make. However, at 6am when I can barely open my eyes, that’s about the best I can do.) After a long day at work, Justin always has a yummy dinner ready for me to eat as soon as I walk in the door. His culinary skills include much more than PB and J’s!

Most importantly, Justin realizes the things that are important in life and doesn’t worry about the things that don’t matter. I often hear him say ‘I work to live, I don’t live to work.’ He knows that when all is said and done, what matters most is time spent with his family and those he loves – and it shows in the way he prioritizes all the things he juggles everyday. I am convinced there was never a more selfless person on earth than Justin. He is everything I ever hoped for in a husband, plus some.

Justin about Katie

Katie is an absolute sweetheart and the best friend I’ve ever had; we do everything together – and I love it. She’s prettiest without makeup and funniest when she’s not trying. A strawberry shake from In-N-Out is her weakness and her favorite lunch to take to work is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She’s famous for her homemade ginger snap cookies and her made-from-scratch pancakes are to die for. She sneaks juicy love notes into my bag when I travel for work and she surprised me when I ran my first marathon by showing up with banners and signs to cheer me on. In fact, she even ran with me for a couple of miles toward the end of the marathon.

She’s a nurse in the newborn intensive care unit and it’s easy to see how much she loves those little babies. I love it when she tells me about her day at work – she’s heartbroken when her babies are sick and she’s always excited to see them get well and go home to loving families.

When we’d been married for only two months I quit my job to start a software company – Katie was (and continues to be) my biggest support. Rather than getting upset when work keeps me tied up late or shakes up our weekend plans, she tells me she loves me and appreciates how hard I work to support our family – she truly is incredible.

I can’t imagine a better mother for our little family – down-to-earth, strong in the gospel, so full of love, and so excited to take advantage of the good things life has to offer.

Our Families

We have wonderful families! Our parents raised us in homes where we felt loved and we knew that our opinions were valued. We hope to raise our children the same way. Justin is the oldest of three boys, Katie has two older brothers, and we have three nephews whom we adore.

We live close to both of our families and we see them several times a week. We enjoy monthly Sunday dinners, annual MFO’s (Mandatory Family Outings), Thanksgiving dinners, and Christmas day with our families. We love to spend time with and be close to them, and we can’t wait to raise our children near their grandparents, aunts, and uncles.