{our love story // part three}

From Amber:

So apparently there was a dream guy in London who would someday be my husband. Haha. What?! Why in the world would these people say such a crazy thing?! To their waitress who they had known for a few short hours no less.

I walked out of work that night with so many mixed emotions. On one hand, I was still tangled up in a mess of a relationship and really sad that it was inevitably coming to end. He had been my best friend through high school, college, after college…my first love and quite possibly the sweetest guy I’d ever known. There was just something missing. Over the years, we had grown apart and just become different people.

On the other hand, something ignited in me that night that I hadn’t realized I’d ever lost – a spark of hope that perhaps there was someone out there who maybe was my perfect match.

Although I knew things with London Dream Boy could never go anywhere (obviously), it was the push I needed to end things with First Love.

I admit that I have a lot of regrets about how the whole split up happened – not one of my finer moments for sure. But really, is there ever an easy, clear path to breaking up with the person you thought you would spend the rest of your life with?

Anyway…  one afternoon while sitting at my mom’s kitchen table, I was checking my email and in popped a message with the subject “Greetings from London….” Those three little words changed my life.

and damn, he was good on email. 

That was the first of many messages that led to a daily back and forth of funny, giddy, cute emails that made us decide three months later that we had to meet. New York was a nice middle ground and he was planning to attend a wedding anyway – so I took a deep breath and bought myself a ticket. London Dream Boy… here I come!

(oh and no – we hadn’t skyped, facetimed, or barely talked on the phone… there was an eight hour time difference and we were on different continents let me remind you… )

Part One // Part Two

images 1 | 2 | 3

{our love story // part two}

From Tyler:

“I just met Tyler’s future wife” was the text Mom sent to Dad while she sat out at The Tides with my Grandma one sunny afternoon in Gig Harbor, WA.  But they both knew that it was going to take some scheming to make this possible love connection a reality. 

Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

I had been living in London for a mere 6 months – life went from a fairly predictable and busy work schedule mixed with a failing relationship track record, to a complete unknown in every way. I was starting a new job in a new country with no clients, meeting new people from all different countries for the first time, and seeing new places in the world I had only dreamed about.  Still recovering from a weekend away in Dublin, I emailed my Dad to tell him about one of the craziest stories/encounters of my life, when he responded with the following message:

Go on Facebook and search Amber Buchanan.  She is this chick we met at the Tides in Gig Harbor – – she’s the one on the right in the pic on her facebook home page.  She’s your future wife….at least that’s what we told her.  She’s very cool – saw your picture “he’s handsome” – – – I know this sounds crazy – – but check it out….

“What an idiot” I thought, as I nicely explained that A) I’m not interested in being set up by my PARENTS, B) Facebook is already the wrong way of approaching this with me, and B) I live in LONDON and she is in GIG HARBOR… but for whatever the reason, he persisted.  So then after much back and forth, my male instincts kicked in – and I finally caved by asking him to send me a picture (obviously because I figured a photo would tell me all about her personality and moral fiber).  He sent me 2, one from Facebook (stalker), and 1 that he took himself at the Tides (creeper)… and I continued grilling him to get more info.  “Why is she in Gig Harbor?” I asked, legitimately curious how this conversation at the Tides came to be, and what her background was…  to which he gave the best (and only) possible response that would continue this any further; “Well she picked up and moved herself to Maui after college, and just got back a couple of weeks ago”

Now this was interesting.  Roughly 8 years earlier, I too had decided to follow my dream of moving to Maui, and tentatively lined up a job and a place to live.  I was all but ready to pull the trigger… but as people do, I wimped out.  My “lease was recently renewed” and “my friends were visiting a lot” and “I had a good parking spot” and “there was a party coming up” and a slew of other lame excuses ultimately prevented me from going.  It was a huge reason for my eventual decision to move to London, and it immediately intrigued me that this girl I don’t know from a small town thousands of miles away – had the guts to do what I couldn’t.

Fine then I thought… I’ll send this girl an email.  Just leave me alone and stop emailing me about it.  It’s not like she’s going to answer anyway (oh she has a boyfriend BTW)… so fine, just stop and I’ll let you know what happens…..  now back to my Dublin story!

I sent a brief email to Amber mostly apologizing for my parents, not expecting a response – and certainly not expecting it to go anywhere… But one thing I have learned over the years, is that “it” tends to happen when you’ve finally stopped looking.

{editor’s note: the first photo is what his dad actually pulled out of his wallet, the second is courtesy of my FB profile picture from four years ago, and the last is my college degree at it’s finest: awesome beer pouring skills – via Ty’s Dad’s cell phone}

Need to catch up? Read Part One here

{our love story // part one}

From Amber:

The plane from Maui had just touched down in Seattle on a warm spring day. My turbulent emotions about moving home after living the island lifestyle, working as a wedding planner, and chasing a long time dream were all coming to an end. My high school sweetheart sat beside me, only inches away, but at the same time, we were worlds apart. It seemed that dream too, was coming to a close.  

I was lost. Heartbroken. Felt like a failure on so many levels.

Knowing I would be moving to the city at the end of the summer to get back into event planning, I decided to lay low and find comfort in my small town around family and friends while I tried to figure out some of the other things in my life. I took a job at a really fun place to hang out in the summertime in Gig Harbor: The Tides. I was excited and happy to spend my summer days waiting tables on the deck, surrounded by amazing co-workers to share after work drinks and stories with. The sweeping views of the mountains, water and harbor surely would relieve some of the chaos in my head. I welcomed the familiarity and slower pace than the nonstop job I had in Maui.

I woke up one Friday morning, put on my jean shorts, Tides baseball shirt and sunglasses about ready to head in to work the lunch shift when a co-worker called and asked if I would swap her dinner shift for mine – I happily agreed knowing tips were better on Friday nights anyhow. When I started work that afternoon, I stepped out onto the deck, my first table of two sweet ladies were smiling brightly and I walked over to greet them.

Little did I know, that Friday night dinner shift at the Tides (that I was never supposed to work) and those two ladies, were the beginning of my love story…

{surprise trip home: seattle, wa}

Hi all! Thanks for stopping by…did you have a nice weekend?

A few weeks ago, Tyler and I flew home to surprise our parents and celebrate both of our Dads’ birthdays in person. We thought the most unexpected gift we could possibly give would be ourselves… so off we went.

After touching down in Seattle, we hurried to my hometown of Gig Harbor where we I thought it would be fun to get in a human-size box with a big red bow and ring the doorbell of my Dad’s house to surprise him. You know you are marrying the right guy when he is willing to waddle down the street in a giant box with you in order to get the surprise “just right”:

We then surprised my mom, and then his parents… lots of hugs all around:

We spent our days boating, eating birthday cake, having beers at the Tides, hanging out  with family and friends, taking in the views, and even celebrating a baby reveal (I can’t post pics because she hasn’t announced the news yet, but it was really cute).

There are some exciting things happening around here soon – be sure to check back!

Have a great week everyone! xo

 

{full of surprises}

Please excuse my absence… last week was crazy while I was wrapping up my last week of work, packing, cleaning and preparing for dog-sitter house guests (hi, Megs!) and trying to tip toe my way around an international surprise for both of our families.

Our surprises went off without a hitch and needless to say, I think they are happy we are home :)

I’m going to duck away for a few days to spend some time slowing down, re-charging and taking in as much of this pretty view as possible while catching up with family and friends.

In the meantime, I have a few guest surprises coming up to keep you entertained while I’m away. Stay tuned!