All About Us
Q&A with V&J
Since Valerie is a writer by trade and Josh is a rambler by nature, we decided to answer some questions interview-style rather than make a poem or a rap video about our relationship (both of which were regrettably viable options). How did it all start? Valerie: We met in February 2001 when I started the fourth grade at Mercer. I can very clearly remember Josh being the first person who talked to me because I remember thinking he looked like Harry Potter, which was ace in my book. Josh: I hated Harry Potter, but we did become friends. Friends...ish. Friendlier later, haha. Valerie: We started dating in July of 2008 after we both volunteered at Vacation Bible School. We got to experience some really cool milestones together like our senior prom and graduation. Then I went to Mizzou and Josh went to North Central and eventually Moberly for college. We somehow made four years of us doing our own independent thing work while keeping our relationship full of fun and waffles. After college we both moved to Kansas City so that I could start my career as a creative editor at Hallmark and Josh could continue to develop his law enforcement career. That's the short and sweet version, anyway! How did the engagement go down? Josh: Well, I'd been saving and thinking of proposing for awhile. I'd planned on proposing on St. Patrick's Day, but Valerie had a cold. I knew the musical Les Miserables was being performed in Des Moines and that Valerie always wanted to see it. So we got front row tickets on April 12th and after went to Spaghetti Works, which we had been to a few times before on some really great dates. Valerie: Josh put the ring in a champagne glass while I was in the restroom. I came back, and he handed it to me and said, "I'd get down on one knee, but I think I'm gonna pass out." I said yes after he was able to get the question out, and my grandma and aunt had champagne chilling for when we got to Runnells. It was a pretty perfect day. What's one of your favorite memories together? Valerie: There are too many! Oh, we obviously weren't dating because we were small children, but in fifth grade we both made it to the county spelling bee, and I used to make Josh stay in from recess and practice our words together. We would hide under the announcer's box in the gym and practice (even though Josh only wanted to practice the medieval words). It would be a cuter story if Josh stayed the whole time, but he usually abandoned me to play basketball like a normal 11-year-old. But I got to go on to districts and Josh missed "lance" on his first turn, so I think we know who the real winner is. Josh: Hey, I made it to districts eventually. Valerie: But also all the fun trips we've been on. Florida, St. Louis for Josh's 21st birthday because he didn't drink and wanted to see the penguins at the zoo instead, Civil War battlefields, even KC when I first moved there... Josh: I think the first time I visited Valerie in Columbia is one of my favorites. It was cold out, but we had a great time walking around the campus. We went to Shakespeare's and did some Freshman spa-activity thing at Memorial Union... Valerie: You loved that eye pillow. Josh: And you hated that the bath salts you made spilled all in your backpack. Ha, I also liked that time we bought clothes for Operation Breakthrough this Christmas. I was gonna turn our adopted kid into the coolest kid on the playground and Valerie was gonna turn him into a little nerd. Valerie: A cute little nerd. See? Too many good memories. What are you looking forward to most about being married? Josh: Tax...breaks...? (laughs) I'm just kidding. Seriously...I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my best friend. Valerie: Aww, that's so great. I'm not sure I can follow that, tax breaks and all. I guess l'd just add that I'm excited to just keep creating new experiences with you. There's a lot of life left to do. Josh: Yeah. And taxes. |
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