I have known Jamie for over 20 years now. We first met each other in the 6th grade and attended the same middle school together. It's weird to think about that type of thing now since we are both at stages of our lives that are so far from our middle school student government years. For the most part we've not done the greatest job keeping in touch with one another (unless you count keeping tabs via Facebook) but when she recently became engaged, I was honored to be called upon to document the bliss of her engagement.
Spending the late afternoon and early evening hours with Colin and Jamie was so much fun for me. It was like time fell away and we were able to pick up with conversation just as easily as we used to have it on the four square blocks at the school recess we once had. It was also wonderful to meet Colin and witness first hand the romance and adoration they obviously have for only each other. It's never too hard for me to cajole newly engaged couples into liplocking for the camera but for Colin and Jamie? I hardly had to mention the idea. Colin just couldn't get enough of showering Jamie with just a little more affection.
When Jamie made it "Facebook official" and announced her engagement, she did so in a very lighthearted and fun way - with a picture of her new ring and a caption that said just this, "It's pretty."
But even all of the sparkle of her engagement ring couldn't come close to the shine of being freshly engaged and deeply in love with one another the way Jamie and Colin are. They easily glow when they are anywhere near each other or are talking about each other and it's just the sweetest thing to witness.
Despite the fact that they are both actual transplants to the DC and NoVA regions, they are staying true to the place they have since found to be home to them and planning a wedding just outside of the district lines in Alexandria, Virginia. The chose Union Station's downtown location for the setting of the start of their engagement session and then we finished at the extension train stop in Alexandria where Colin used to catch all of his trains to travel back home to Philly.
They both share a love for ice hockey (though they root for different teams!) and also a love for the romanticism that is a good train ride so the train stations were the perfect place for them to bask in their newly engaged bliss!
Their wedding will be held at the temple pictured here in the background and though they still have a number of details to work out just yet, I have a feeling it's going to be quite a grand affair since Jamie is a master at things like event planning.
No doubt that Jamie and Colin are well on their way to their very own happily ever after. Congratulations to them both for a life that is only more richly blessed with every day that God gives them together.
