Jimmy & Chelsie first met on March 8, 2018 around 6:30pm - which we know because Jimmy joined his pals (S/O to Josh & Erika) for a COSI After Dark where their "COSI Insider" **cough cough Chelsie** was going to sneak them in for free! Chelsie remembers Jimmy being easy to laugh and having childlike enthusiasm (especially when Chelsie took the group through a behind the scenes tour of the animal exhibit to say hit to basketball playing rats, cute chickens, giant snakes and more). Jimmy remember's Chelsie's high energy and joy for her job standing out right away. This first day laid the ground work for their strong friendship (against Jimmy's more ambitious wishes LOL) that would eventually build their even better relationship down the road.
Jimmy & Chelsie grew closer in their friendship over the remainder of 2018 and through the first half of 2019 by singing & discussing Hamilton, becoming daily "Binge Mode" podcast pals and having fun in nature with friends. But in the summer of 2019, Chelsie's feelings started to shift into ~something more~ than friendship - and thus, she started (easily) convincing Jimmy to hang out with her almost every day. Both Jimmy & Chelsie credit the day that Chelsie talked Jimmy into driving out into the country to join in a birthday celebration for Audrey by doing some Goat Yoga (!!!) as the beginning of the end of their "just friends" phase <3
A few weeks later, Chelsie talked "her friend Jimmy" into meeting her parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, and second cousins at her families blow out Fourth of July weekend at Lake Erie. The week was filled with 25 person around-the-world ping pong (which Jimmy won on his first try, of course), beach bonfires, parties where everyone was required to wear wigs, bike parades while wearing those wigs, and all other manor of ridiculous fun. Every single girl cousin at the lake that weekend whispered to Chelsie (within Jimmy's ear shot *eye roll emoji*) "when are you going to kiss him already?!"
Jimmy riding in the "Wigging-out" bike parade in his 4th of July themed persona "Alexander Hamil-Jim."
So, on the Fourth of July, 2019, Chelsie finally did kiss him, (or he kissed her - theres still a debate out on this) - and then promptly told all of her cousins, siblings and friends. When all of her friends arrived the following day to join in on the fun, they entered the house by running up to Jimmy, hugging him, congratulating him and welcoming him to the family (way to play it cool guys.....) Apparently, they had seen the writing on the walls for a lot longer than Chelsie had, and they were all so pleased this day had finally come.
Chelsie, looking to seal the deal forever, got Jimmy a gift to meet, feed and play with his distant relatives, Red Pandas. We were told that one of the two red pandas was very shy with humans typically, but within minutes of entering their exhibit, she had made friends with Jimmy - shocking the guide entirely! Our two friends (named Hamlet & Junjie) found a new BFFL in Jimmy, sitting on his lap, eating grapes from his hand and practically begging him to stay and join their pack. Spoiler alert: it did seal the deal.
Jimmy and Chelsie lived happily every after in Grandview together with their turtle Dobby and their dog Brody for 8 beautiful, exciting, scarily normal months... and then a pandemic hit! During the early days of the pandemic, they spent a ton of time making every corner of their house (both inside and out) as cozy as could be. This included but was not limited to: An Indoor Hammock, a craft room with all you could ever need, many bird feeding stations, and more plants than you could ever imagine. After their house was as cute as they could possibly make it, they turned their attention elsewhere spending time catching squirrels in homemade traps, playing chess, taking Brody on backpacking bike rides, surprising local friends with easter egg hunts and earth day treats and exploring all of the local metroparks!
Early in the pandemic, Chelsie & Jimmy made a big decision the only way they know how: with a ton of enthusiastic up-front commitment and a heavy dose of hope that the details would just figure themselves out. This is how they decided to take Brody on the best Car Ride of his whole life - one that lasted for almost 3 weeks! Jimmy, Chelsie and Brody set out across the country to see new places, see old friends and learn how to camp out of their car (which they were only ever vaguely successful at). They got to see beautiful places with some of their favorite people - it is a trip that showed them how much they love adventuring out in the world, loved living simply and how much they valued having a bed at home that is bigger than the one that fit in the back of their mid-sized SUV (LOL).
This trip took them to so many new places: Sedona, Santa Fe, SoCal, Yosemite National Park, The Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Yellow Stone National Park, Sundance, The Grand Tetons, and the Pacific Ocean, Brody's first swim in salty water!
While this trip was one of their first big adventures - it was by no means their last. Exploring the world has become a staple of their relationship and something that makes both Jimmy & Chelsie so very happy.
Then they had a pandemic baby: Potato the Cat! Jimmy was lukewarm on the idea of a cat, but Chelsie kept pushing for a new creature in their lives. Jimmy said that the only kind of cat he wanted was a "dumpster cat that just showed up."
Then one day Potato was found on the side of the road by Jansen & his friend as nothing more than a tiny ball of fluff - and lucky for Chelsie, "street cat" met Jimmy's "dumpster cat" qualifications. Jimmy decided on the name "Potato" after one of their favorite movies and also because it made him laugh to hear Chelsie tell people his name over the phone. Quicker than he would like to admit, Jimmy became a "cat guy" - building contraptions for Potato & taking him on walks and hikes. Our family didn't feel complete until our little Tator Tot came along.
Jimmy & Chelsie have always loved the PNW so when Jimmy suggested that they head out for a long weekend to explore the Olympic National Park Chelsie had no idea this was the moment Jimmy had decided to pop the big question! He convinced Chelsie that the 28 mile long Enchanted Valley hike was worth it - and boy was it! Not only was it some of the prettiest hiking they had ever done, Jimmy also asked Chelsie to marry him. They celebrated with the champaign Jimmy had carried all the way there as well as by finding both elk and a bear on their way back! Chelsie may have had to be carried for stretches at the end, but they made it out 11 hours after they began - both more tired and happier than they have ever been!
This story leads us up to today - the closing of one chapter and the beginning of a brand new one. The wedding invitation you received was so special to Jimmy & Chelsie, as their wonderful friend Audrey painted it for this very occasion. It showcases Mount Rainier with all of its beautiful woodlands and wildflowers. It was such a gift being able to send a little piece of personal art to each and every guest. Thank you so much to Audrey - and if you haven't yet, check out her INSANE watercolors yet, follow her on instagram at @AudreyBeamArt <3