Day 58: Christen Haaland

Last night I called my dear friend Marianne Haaland. As she and I were chatting, her hubby called Drew and they talked. It was almost like we were on a double date again!

Marianne and Christen have been dear friends of ours since we started college at PBA. They were a few years older than us, and have a few more years of marriage experience, so they have really been great guides to us on our own personal love journey!

Christen is a great guy, first off. He is jovial, funny, and has a really kind heart. He and Drew hit it off from  the get-go! Christen is a dreamer and I can't wait to see what becomes of those dreams some day.

Something else you should know about Christen is that he is a board game Nazi. Seriously. One of our favorite things to do with the Haalands is get together for dinner and games at their house. We have played several different games with them, but our favorite being Monopoly. It is bad when we all play together. Man, it can get ugly! We all take this game very seriously and Christen is really, really good at it. As much as it breaks my heart to admit defeat, I must. He beat me. And Drew. And Marianne. Yuck. But, I suppose that is why he will be a good entrepreneur.

We have so many fun memories with Marianne and Christen. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Our Beach Trips
2. Game Nights
3. Dinner/Movie Nights
4. Our Trip to Universal Studios for Rock the Universe
5. Marianne & Christen's trip to Orlando when we had to break into their car in the middle of the night because they locked their keys in the trunk!
6. Having them share our wedding festivities with us!
7. The summer Drew & Christen sold steaks together!

As you can see, this couple has provided quite a bit of fun in our lives and we are so thankful for that!

Christen is a really nice guy and he has been such a great friend to both Drew and I. He and Marianne have both been there for us through thick and thin. Even though hundreds of miles physically separate us, we keep in touch often and I know we will always be friends. Even if we go years without seeing each other, I know we would pick right back up where we left off! They are such a treasure to us!

Christen,

Thank you for being a such a dear friend to us! Thank you for being a great husband to my girl Marianne! Your zest for life and sense of humor is such a refreshing trait! You have a huge heart and a passion for the Lord. Thank you for all the ways you and your lovely wife have blessed us over the years!

Love you both!!

MB (and Drew too!)

The first official picture of the Darrs and the Haalands! 

Day 57: Ty Schenzel

Let me start off by apologizing for not writing for the last 2 weeks. I was very lazy and I am sorry. However, I think I am going to restructure this a little so that I don't get burned out as much. I think my goal is going to be 365 people, but maybe not in 365 days. It can become tedious to crank out a blog every single night, and I really don't want my thank you's to become a chore or insincere. I like to be inspired for each blog rather than force a writing.

Tonight I am writing to you about Ty Schenzel, Drew's uncle. Uncle Ty is awesome, to put it simply. I met him a few years ago when I joined the Darr clan in Nebraska for Emily's (Ty's Oldest Daughter) wedding. I will never forget how funny he was! He kept introducing me to everyone as "Drew's girlfriend Felina" which was obviously, not my name. It was funny to me though how many people probably thought that was my name for a while!

I loved the whole Schenzel family the second I met them! They are all so warm, welcoming and fun! I thought it was pretty cool that Ty actually tried to get to know me over that trip. He sat down next to me and basically asked for my story. Although, a bit intimidating, I really appreciated that he took the time to hear my story. It's so rare that men in our society actually take initiative in getting to know others. It seems like they are only interested in things that, well, interest them, like sports. It was so refreshing to see such a huge level of depth in Uncle Ty.

Uncle Ty has had a huge impact on Drew. Quite frankly I think Drew is the spitting image of Ty! Ty is an amazing father. It brought tears to my eyes several times watching his beautiful relationships with his children, but specifically with his daughters. I know that Drew will be an equally wonderful father someday....WAY, WAY, WAY down the line. Ty has a huge amount of compassion in his heart and in general is one of the kindest people I have ever met. He is selfless, loving, and generous. He started a foundation called The Hope Center for Kids which is located in Omaha, Nebraska. It is a very cool organization that is inspiring so many people.

 To learn more about this program go here: The Hope Center for Kids

Drew and I thought it would be really neat if we both had our uncles who are both pastors, collaborate on our wedding ceremony. We loved how it turned out. Ty welcomed everybody and then spoke a little bit about Drew. Later he led us in taking Communion which was a very cool thing to do in our ceremony. It was so special to us to have both of our uncles marry us!

Ty is a role model in countless ways, but the best being his relationship with the Lord. You can tell that Ty seeks God's wisdom and plan for his life and for those around him. Ty has his faith in the Lord and he relies on God for everything. That is so awesome. I love to see strong Christian men and fathers.

Uncle Ty,

Thank you for you influence in Drew's life and in mine. You are a very awesome uncle and we love you very much! You are so kind, witty, and compassionate. Your role in our wedding meant so much to us and we are incredibly grateful for all of your help. You are an inspiration to us in the way you live your life and the care you have for others. Thank you for leading by example. We are hoping to plan a trip out to Omaha this summer!

Love,

Mary Beth

This is a picture of Uncle Ty and his two beautiful daughter's Annie and Emily. Love this crew!