God has blessed us with great families, and we love spending time with them. Although we don’t all live in the same city, we make regular get-togethers a priority, and we always have lots of fun making memories together!
Bryan’s parents have been married for more than 30 years and continue to set a great example of being committed to your spouse. They recently became grandparents for the first time and are thoroughly enjoying this new role. Bryan is the oldest of 5 kids. One of his brothers is married and has 2 small children. He works for an insurance company. His other brother works as a massage therapist. He also has two sisters: one who is a pediatric nurse and one who is studying to be a math teacher. We all get together several times each year for birthdays, holidays, and other fun family gatherings. During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, we all drive to a nearby state to spend time with Bryan’s extended family: aunts, uncles, and cousins (many of whom have just recently started having children). We usually spend the week playing broom hockey, sledding, snowboarding, and eating lots of delicious home-cooked food. It’s one of our favorite times of the year! |
Samantha’s family is smaller than Bryan’s but just as close-knit. After her dad passed away, she grew up in an all-girl household. Her mom and her younger sister are two of her very closest friends. Her mom has been looking forward to being a grandma since Bryan and Samantha’s wedding day, and now that Samantha’s younger sister just got married too, she is doubly excited! The newlyweds recently moved to a country in Eastern Europe where they will be teaching and doing missionary work for the next year. We will likely spend lots of time on Skype in the coming months!
Samantha’s family wouldn’t be complete without mention of her best friend Joanna. They first met when they were freshman in high school and paired up to play badminton together in gym class. Over the past 12 years, she has become like a member of the family! Joanna is one of the smartest people we’ve met, but she’s also hilarious and keeps us laughing! |