IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT...JOE AND NICOLE TO TIE THE KNOT!

The "Place" was Disneyland, and the timing was 'right' when our youngest son 'popped' the question to the love of his life...and long time 'squeeze' Nicole Tietsort!

"Will You Marry Me?"

You can tell by the tears and the Joy that the answer was 'yes'...but now we get to the good part.

The 'Wedding" was at first scheduled to be next summer, but when Nicole Graduated from Biola University in May, she had to return to Idaho where her family lives and look for a Job. This left Joey with another summer and semester to go before his own Graduation from Dominguez Hills College in Long Beach with his English Major.

These two have been literally 'inseperable' for the past few years, and Nicole has put up with Joe's colorful and rambunctious room mates he's known since kindergarden...and living the usual college life of 'church mice'...but through it all, they've been a great team...best friends...and both are resourceful and frugal with a buck. That may be why Joe is graduating without a big student loan debt.

Anyway, with Nicole's 'absence' from the Long Beach scene...the wedding date started to creep up earlier and earlier...and now, it is as soon as possible after Joe's Graduation in December...which is December 30th in Caldwell, Idaho. So, hopefully...ALL MY CHILDREN can come home to where we are for Christmas this year, and a few days later...we'll take Highway 20 across the State of Oregon for 300 miles to Caldwell, Idaho... for the Wedding and Celebration!

Of course, we would love the couple to settle here in Oregon near us to get their start in their new marriage, but like most marriages...they are starting out near the bride's family. We see that as a good second choice (if it was up to us...which it is not...) as we (and Nicole's family) worried that they might settle in the Los Angeles area and we don't see that as an ideal place to raise our additional 'perfect grandchildren'.

So, here's to Nicole and Joe on their upcoming wedding, and we are so happy to welcome this wonderful young woman into our family. I think Nicole's Dad is a Pastor, and I think her family is much more sedate than our bunch, so won't it be fun to get these families together for the Rehearsal dinner to see what their precious child is 'getting into'?

Allen threatens to ask Nicole's father about a 'Dowery', much to Joey's horror...but hopefully, before he does so...he'll trade in his 'Harley Davidson' T Shirts for a day or two so we don't scare the Tietsorts to death with this 'biker bunch' ...before he asks about the 'Dowery'

...as for me, I think Joe has made a wonderful choice...and a see a long and happy marriage for him and his bride...and some tall and lanky grandkids for me! Hip, Hip...Hooray!

CONGRATS JOE AND NICOLE....and LOT'S OF LOVE from Mom and Dad too.