Family Pics

Jenny and I met through the Wesley Foundation at ASU, and in 2000 got married. Though we didn't meet at Tekoa, we exchanged vows in Laurel Lodge with Jack Porter presiding. It was beautiful, of course, with the rhododentron and mountain laurel in bloom. Candace Walker did a great job taking the wedding photos. I also hired the Blue Kudzu String Band (Greg Trollinger, Taylor Mackey, and Jesse Norton) to play some traditional mountain music and ballads before and after the service. Jenny wanted Pachelbel's Canon in D to be played as she walked down the aisle, but was a little dissappointed that it was recorded while the rest of our musical arrangements were live. Then the day before the service I heard Jesse, Greg, and Taylor warming up with a familiar tune. It was Pachelbel's Canon in D. Excited, I asked if they could play the arrangement for us the next day.Greg replied, "I knew that's what it was called. Jesse told us it was the Taco Bell Cantada!"

We moved to Jenny's hometown of Morganton where she
had a teaching job. She convinced me I should become a teacher as well, and that same year I started a lateral entry position as a high school English teacher while I worked on my licensure. Three years later we decided to have our first child, Margaret Anne (we call her Maggie), and four years after that had our second child Garrett Reid. Maggie is now 5 and Garrett is 19 months. They are our pride and joy. Parenthood is like the military -- it's the toughest job I've ever loved.

I've already been talking to Maggie about Camp Tekoa. Though we attend a Baptist church now (I even got dunked!), I'm still a Methodist at heart. I hope in a few years she might like to go.