Please join us on May 21, 2016 as we celebrate our wedding in Annapolis, Maryland.
Joe's Story
Joe was born in George Washington Hospital in DC 30-some years ago, and didn't stray too far for the next 30. Growing up in Silver Spring, MD, he dreamed of being a garbageman. Around age 12, he decided he would major in engineering, viewing it as a solid foundation for a stable career, just in case garbage removal fell through. For college, he attended the University of Maryland, which happened to be just down the road from his grade school (literally - they're on the same road). After college he found an engineering job selling air conditioners, and has stayed at that same company, in that same job, ever since. He did move to Wisconsin for six months, but when it got cold he moved back.
He likes reliable used cars, running alone in the woods, and listening to baseball on the radio. About seven years ago, Joe became significantly more interesting.
Juli's Story
Juli was born in George Washington Hospital in DC 30-some years ago, but didn't stay nearby for long. She caught the travel bug at 16 while volunteering at a clinic in rural Malawi with her parents. That following summer she did a homestay in Japan and cruised around Europe after high school. For college she attended the University of Miami and studied abroad in England. She's had many jobs, most of which required travel or adventure. She's trapped invertebrates in California, taught English to schoolchildren in Korea, and lived in a tent while planting trees in India. For her master's degree she moved to New Zealand and Germany. During her study she lived through earthquakes in Christchurch, slept in a hut in Mongolia (where the only shower was a snow-melt river), and commuted by motorbike to study remote communities in Cambodia. After completing her master's, she landed a job in San Francisco. That position has required more travel, to Scotland, Fiji, and Hawai'i.
In recent years though, she's become increasingly interested in caring for jointly-owned houseplants, exploring local trails, and following sports teams via radio broadcast.
Our Relationship
On a balmy fourth of July morning in 2008, Juli visited a friend in a DC rowhouse where she met Joe, bearded and bespectacled, eating over the sink. Having recently returned to the US after spending two years in Asia, Juli was drawn to his facial hair and casual demeanor. Joe had planned on doing work that day, but, having never met anyone like Juli, he canceled his plans and followed her for the next 10 hours. After a full day of parties, food, and fireworks, he asked her on a date for the next evening. They have been dating, and happy, ever since.
Joe gradually adjusted to the idea of working less and traveling more, Juli adjusted to shorter trips so they could keep their jobs, and they started exploring together. When Juli decided to go to school in New Zealand and Germany, Joe would follow for several weeks at a time, staying employed with the help of Wifi and patient clients. Joe has gotten used to the view from inside a plane. He is thankful for their adventures at home and abroad, and for her dedication to preserving and protecting the natural world. Juli is thankful for his support, stability, and especially when she's been bouncing around the globe, his persistence.
