Our Story

It all started on New Year's Day 2000 at Arlington SDA Church in Riverside, CA. Jed regularly attended church at Arlington and Michelle was there with her roommate who was a guest speaker in the youth group. This was not the first time that we had crossed paths. Over the years, on numerous occasions, we had attended events and social occasions involving mutual friends. Though it was on January 1, 2000 that a chance encounter brought us together for the first time. We were immediately attracted to each other, though neither of us had the nerve to approach the other.

One week later, at La Sierra University in a Public Relations class, Michelle came to class early and found only a few empty seats available. As soon as she noticed the empty seat next to Jed, she set out to get to know the guy. When Jed saw her, he recognized her as the same girl he had seen at church a few days earlier and secretly hoped that she would take the seat next to him. Our official introduction and initial conversation was very comfortable, almost as though we had known each other forever. A friendship quickly developed and over the next 5 months we spent a great deal of time together as "just friends", but neither one wanted to be the first to admit to their crush.

In May 2000, Michelle received the perfect opportunity to ask Jed to attend — "just as friends" — the La Sierra Masquerade Ball at Edwards Mansion in Redlands, CA. Not being familiar with area outside of La Sierra, Jed offered to give Michelle the nickel tour of the beautiful town of Redlands after the Ball. One of the stops on the tour was the Redlands Bowl, an outdoor amphitheatre well known for the annual summer concert series. Jed was a wonderful tour guide and the Redlands Bowl was the perfect place to end their first "date." 

It has been more than 5 years since that enchanting evening and now our relationship has come full circle. Jed proposed to Michelle on July 24, 2005 at the Redlands Bowl. On December 30, 2005, we were married at the Mission Inn in Riverside.

—Michelle & Jed
1.6.06