I finally went over to Chris and Pam's house and got some Boat Harbor pictures. These are from last summer, but for those of you who have not gotten to meet Chuck, they are better pictures that I have on the blog.

On January 18, we had the most beautiful day of the year, and it happened to be the day my good friends Melissa and Elton got married. I am holding their baby , Clive. We are at the Mendenhall Glacier.

Our story

How we met...

Last summer I was a deckhand on the F/V Ocean Point. We had pulled into Auke Bay Harbor and tied to the dock.

I was cleaning out the fish holds when another boat pulled up next to us. They asked if they could tie up next to us because there was no more room in the harbor, and the captain of the boat was friends with my captain. I climbed out of the hold to find a dirty bearded deckhand on the boat next to us. He started talking to me, which was great since I had only one other person to talk to on the boat all summer. I thought he was nice, but I didn't see him again until the fishing season was over.

Later that fall I saw him again. He was friends of many people I had know for years, and I couldn't figure out how it could be that I hadn't met him before. One day after work I was sitting at the bar eating my shift meal when I noticed he was sitting alone just a few bar stools away. We started making small talk, and talked about how we were each thinking about going out later. He got up and said that maybe he'd see me later at the Alaskan. I told him that I was pretty sure we were supposed to walk there together.

I saw him around for the next week, and we went on out first official date to the bowling alley and them to lunch at El Sombrero. We were going to go on a walk with the dog, but it was crappy weather. We've been together ever since.

How he asked...

I was returning from my trip to Utah last winter, and received a phone call. We had talked about marriage a few times, and he pretty much knew that I would say yes whenever he felt like asking. I knew it was coming when he asked for my parent's number. He asked me on my to Juneau, while I was on the Ferry.

We didn't have a ring yet, and so I set out to find one. My mom offered to give me the diamond from a ring that her grandmother had given her. It was a thoughtful idea, and I am glad to have a ring with a family history. I found a ring to mount the diamond in, and Chuck's job was to get it when it was done. I was mocking him one day for having asked me over the phone, and mentioned how he had one more chance to do it right. Somehow, we were both thinking the same thing, and he was already dropping to one knee. It was at home, private between us, and not a big show. Just how I always dreamed.

The bling...

I have always thought of wedding rings as frivolous and was planning on just having a simple band. I was honored when my mom offered to give me the diamond from the ring she received from her grandmother. I really love this ring and I love that it really came from somewhere.







The dog...

This is Rebel. Chuck brought him into my life and I couldn't be happier. He is my companion when Chuck is gone fishing and my inspiration to run even when it is raining. He can be a pest, but only because he is so smart. He had saved me from charging bears and warned me of imaginary robbers. I love him dearly.

The wedding...

We are getting married in Utah up Big Cottonwood Canyon at Silverfork Lodge. It will be on June 13, 2009. I am going to be close to finishing school, and it is one week before the gill netting season starts for Chuck. It will be somewhat casual, no tuxedos, but nice. I know it is a busy time for those in Alaska, so we are going to have a reception in Juneau as well, on Friday, June 19. We are excited to spent time with family and friends, and I am looking forward to showing off the man I love.

More about the wedding...

There are some fun things near the place we are getting married. If you go to the link for Solitude ski resort in the next sentence, and then choose summer, you can get an idea (mt. biking, disc golf etc.). Solitude is only one mile away from Silverfork, and only two more to Brighton, so if you are looking for lodging opportunities, you can look there. There is a dirt road that goes to Park City, and if the snow is melted, we should be able to get there easily. I am going to rent a house at Brighton for friends from Juneau. If you think you want in on this, let me know. We can get to downtown SLC in about thirty minutes, so I am going to keep an eye out for good live music.

Where are we registered?

We are registered at Target so far, but I am planning on adding some things from Crate and Barrel soon. A lot of Chuck's stuff was in storage, so I am just starting to get an idea of what we have as a collective. We have a dream of owning a commercial fishing boat, and any cash gifts will be put toward a down payment.