We met in Montana late July 2005. Theron had just come on staff with the School of Worship and Nicola had arrived to start 1 of 2 schools (TESOL then SBS). We had the same friends, often ate at the same table with them, and got to know each other slowly that year.
The beginning of the next summer, 2006, Nicola had graduated both schools and was asked to stay and staff the TESOL course. She did! Most of our close friends had left or were on vacation so we ended up hanging out together most evenings – watching movies, listening to The Fray, talking about everything… after a month we admitted that we really liked each other and should officially be dating (it looked like we were anyway!).
2 months later Nicola left for a 9-week outreach in Africa. We missed each other SO MUCH… the longest 9 weeks ever! Hardly any communication but still an intense feeling that we should be together, not apart. Upon returning to the States we had a short couple of months together and then Theron left for a 2-month outreach and Nicola returned to England. Sadly, apart again, but thankfully Theron wasn’t in the-middle-of-nowhere-Africa and we kept in touch regularly.
The day after he got home Theron headed straight to England to meet Nicola’s family, and yep, you guessed it… proposed a week later on the banks of the English Channel. It was our 8-month anniversary (more than half of those 8 months were spent apart, crazy!). We were married in Montana 11 weeks later and have been here ever since; serving full time in a Mission God has placed on our hearts in a location we are blown away by during every season.
11 months after we started dating – June 24, 2007:
Photos by the amazing Brenda Mallaburn!
Shortly after celebrating our 3rd anniversary, our daughter Vienna Paige was born. She is our joy; our little genius – an incredible addition to our family. She turned 1 on Sept 2, 2011 and is growing up fast! Such a blessing.
1st birthday
