How We Got Together: April and Kenny

Basically, we were both working at Burger King at the time. I went on my 30 minute minor break, and had a bunch of guys come and sit next to me talking that would say inappropriate things to me. I saw Kenny cleaning the lobby, so I asked him to go on his break so he could sit next to me. Well he did, and he sat next to me the whole time until I went back from my break.

After that, I was constantly checking the schedule to see when we were both working together. One day, he gave me his number, and a few days later I had called because I was bored and I was just going through my phone list. His friend answered the phone and said he wasn't going to be back for a couple of hours.

Later on that evening, he called me back, and after that we basically talked on the phone till 3 in the morning. He would always tell me about how he grew up, and three weeks afterwards, we got together he said he loved me.

We went through a lot our first couple of months of being together, but in the end, it was all worth the hassles and tears. We had people telling us that we would never make it, and that had a lot had to do with our ages. I was 16 and he was 20. He also didn't particularly hang with people with good influences.

Kenny is basically a different person now than what he was 3 years ago, and I really respect that about him. He has come a long way. Now, why he changed himself for me, I don’t know. I do know that I’m glad he did because he makes me so happy.

A Blog From Mandy's Friend

Hi,

This is Mandy's friend, Katie. I have known Mandy since elementary school, and yes, she was a surfer girl even back then! In high school, Mandy and I became closer friends because we both joined the high school soccer team... well, for one year at least. Then came our group of friends, The BC, and our daily meetings. We really bonded during high-school, which is when Mandy started dating Josh.

They were the perfect couple, and we all loved Josh. He seemed to be the perfect match for Mandy, and I really respected that he stuck around even through his going to college. We had so much fun with him at homecomings and proms, and it never seemed like he felt he shouldn't be there. We all expected them to get married one day, so it was no surprise when Josh proposed.

How Jenn Won Jake's Heart

I'm sure everyone remembers from the Engaged and Underage episode but, yes, I stalked Jake in the 7th grade and finally won his heart in the 10th grade. I am so glad that I never gave up on him because, if I did, I wouldn't be his wife today. It was our sophomore year in high school and we ended up having weight-lifting class together and, since our last names are next to each other in the alphabet, we ended up being spot buddies. He always flirted with me and vice versa until one day I decided to date his best friend to see if he would get mad. Well, it worked! Jake and I started dating that year and have been together ever since!

How Mandy and Josh First Met

This is our little love story about how we ended up dating…

It was my last semester in 8th grade and high school was right around the corner. I ended up hanging out with my "older" friends who were already in high school. There was one specific guy I spent a good bit of time with. He would pick me up after school and we would head to the beach. Well, one day I was heading out to surf and a guy was leaving. I ended up stopping and talking to him, we exchanged names -- his was Josh -- and then we both went our separate ways.

About a week later, my friends invited me to go to a club and hang out. I didn’t have a date so I didn’t know who I was going to dance with but they had a plan. Josh was there and he ended up asking me to dance. We danced the whole night and had a great time. Ends up, he became the guy that I would call every morning during the summer to go surfing. We would hit the beach at about 7 a.m. and surf until about noon. Then he’d drop me off and we'd meet up the next day!
The end of summer was coming fast; Josh was going to be heading off to college soon. He ended up asking me on a date and I decided to go. It was amazing! We went to a seafood restaurant, saw Finding Nemo and finished it off by watching sea turtles lay eggs on the beach.
We dated about three months and then silly me decided to break up with him because I still had a crush on this other guy and I felt Josh was getting too serious about me. Well, that guy and I didn’t really work out and I decided I was finally ready for a serious relationship. I ended up calling Josh on December 8th and read him this letter I had been working on to apologize and ask him back out. He said he couldn’t really talk to me but he would think about everything I said and call me back later. The next day he called me, forgave me and said he would give me a second chance.

So here we are today, three and a half years later married and living in a little house on the beach!

Mandy and Josh Check In

What’s going on? Mandy here!

Tonight I tried to cook some fish. One kind out of the many kinds we have in the freezer. Yeah, Josh likes to do the whole offshore fishing thing so we don’t ever have to buy food for dinner! Ha! Well, I cooked some tonight thinking it was the tripletail; it wasn’t. Josh came home from work and the house was all smoked out and our fish was burnt. It was tuna I was trying to fry!!! Gee, I guess tuna is unfryable (if that’s even a word). I ended up throwing the fish away and just made a bunch of spaghetti. It was good, but I was looking forward to making Josh a nice fish dinner.

Married life is awesome! It is definitely the best step I have taken in my life. It’s so nice to go to sleep and have the one you love next to you. There is always someone to talk to and be there to have fun with. I finally have a workout partner that I can count on to meet me at the gym! It does get somewhat stressful, but you learn to work through your problems. One piece of advice I have to give to all the couples getting married is to never go to bed mad at each other. It sucks when you go to bed mad and then you wake up and you are still mad, so make up before you fall asleep!

Oh, and Josh is always there for me to lean on, as well. Last week my mom was in and out of the hospital. She went in for a treatment that was supposed to help her disease and we all thought she would come out walking normally. That didn’t happen! Ends up when the doctors started putting the medicine in her neck she had a reaction to it. She had a seizure and then coded! Luckily, the nurses in the room were on top of things. They threw on some oxygen and started doing compressions. Thank God she came back right before they were about to zap her. Through it all, Josh has been there for me and has been the only one I have really been talking to about it. It’s so nice to have him around me all the time. I love him so much!

Other than that, my days are spent being a housewife. I have gone out and looked for jobs and whatnot, but I really haven’t tried hard enough to find one. Yesterday, I think I used up a whole tank of gas just driving around to places that looked OK to work. I'm only going to be here for about 28 more days, so that’s how long I would be working at a new job; it's not worth it. I’m going to be moving very soon to where Josh will be going to school. Josh will move with me when the lease is up on the house. It stinks. I'm not looking forward to living by myself! Although I will have Jade with me, it’s just not going to be the same without my husband. Oh, and I will no longer be near the beach, which is where Josh and I first met like five or six years ago. Eventually we will come back to it but with Josh’s school it just doesn’t work out like that right now.

If you would like, you can check out our MySpace page at www.myspace.com/joshnmandymiller.

Later,Mandy

P.S. Oh, and an update on Kyle. I haven’t talked to him for about three weeks or so. Not sure where he has been, but the relationship between Josh and him hasn’t gotten any better or worse. It’s basically at a standstill for now. He lives five hours away from us, which makes it difficult to get together and go out whenever we feel like it. The last I heard was that his girlfriend's purse got stolen and their cell phones were in there. I’ve tried to get in touch with him through one of his friends but that isn’t so easy! He is always on the go; you can never get a hold of him. Hopefully he will come down here soon and we can get together and go four-wheeling or whatnot!

Update From Christian's Friend

My name is Tony Cianciolo. I am 18 and currently enrolled at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. Christian and I have been friends since our sophomore year in high school, where we played golf for three years. I can honestly say he is one of my best friends.

I actually met Angel through Chad (who was Christian's best man at the wedding) and the two of us dated for about a month when we were in high school. Needless to say, the relationship didn't work out between the two of us and soon Christian took over her life in full force. I remember that by our senior year the two of them were inseparable.

When I first heard that Angel was pregnant, I was hesitant about whether she and Christian were ready for such a major commitment. But I made it apparent to Christian that Chad and I would be there through the struggle. Then, with the birth of Christian and Angel's son, Tanner Mason Bartonico, came the idea of marriage, which, in all honesty, I was completely against.

I felt that by getting married at a young age Christian was sacrificing his future and putting everything -- including school, friends and family -- on hold. I remember sitting on the couch the night before the wedding thinking that it would be the last time Christian would be able to let loose and just be himself. Seeing him constantly struggle to pay rent scared me so much that I vowed not to get married before I owned my own place.

The wedding itself was one of the most stressful days of my life. I think we took 10,000 pictures, and the bride's mother kept yelling at the kids for not smiling. Seeing Christian shaking up until the minute they said "I do" just made me hope that my girlfriend didn't get any ideas. In the end, I think it worked out for the best. Although Angel and Rose (Christian's mom) still don't see eye to eye, I think that eventually time will heal all of the broken bonds.

Angel and Christian's Love Story

Hey you guys!

For those who want to know how Christian and I fell madly in love with each other -- LOL -- here's our story.

I am super close to my grandparents, so during the summer I used to hang out at their house everyday with my brother Jeremy and cousin Ashleigh -- it was a blast! Well, one day a cute guy moved in across the street and I was so excited because there weren't any kids that hung out in the neighborhood.

The cute kid that moved in wasn't Christian, it was Chad -- lol! But we ended up hanging out a lot. I was starting to like Chad until one day he brought over someone who had just moved in down the street. That someone was Christian, and we fell in love instantly! We dated a few times in junior high school but it wasn't until my junior year in high school that we started getting serious. We were so funny -- we would date other people but never hang out with our boyfriend/girlfriend because we were always with each other!

I remember he used to always give me little kisses on my forehead when he hugged me. He was so good to me! The day he asked me out he brought huge balloons to school that said "I Love You" on them, a dozen roses and my favorite candy. The card said, "12 roses: 11 real, one fake," and then inside it said, "I'll love you till the last one dies"! I looked at my bouquet and in the middle of the red roses there was one white rose that was fake! It was the cutest thing ever! Of course, I said, YES! I asked him why he would always kiss me on the forehead and he said, "It's the closet I ever got to actually kissing you!"
Well, that's our love story!
Angel

Angel's Advice for the Big Day

Hey you guys!
I love, love, love being married! I am so happy with the way the wedding turned out! Everything was perfect! And even more importantly ... I didn't fall down the stairs! It's really funny to think back on all the months of planning and how it all went by in a day. It was totally worth it, though! My advice to anyone planning a wedding: Don't stress it. Enjoy how much fun it is! Let everyone else worry about the small details. During the actual day you won't notice a thing that goes wrong because everyone else will be helping out and making sure your day is perfect! So smile and enjoy the whole experience!
Angel

Christian: Being a Dad Is the Best
Hi.
Everything's been awesome since the wedding! Angel and I have been stress-free now that the wedding is over. But being a young dad is a lot of work and responsibility! I'm only 18 and all the attention shifts to the baby; it's never about you anymore. It's tough to not be able to do whatever I want to do anymore, but being a dad is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I wouldn't change it for the world. Some advice for other young dads or soon-to-be dads: Listen to the mother of your child -- lol!
Later,Christian

A Few Words From Christian

Hi.
For me, being married is the same as when we were boyfriend/girlfriend since we already lived together and had a kid. The only thing that's different is it's legal now. I love it!
Christian

Baby On The Way!

Hello Everyone!

Our little peanut is almost HERE!

I would really like to keep everyone updated as much as possible! With everything that is going on with our lives, it can get hard, especially with our little peanut's arrival soon. All I have been doing is sleeping and trying to get as ready as possible for the big day. I had my baby shower a few weeks ago. We got just about everything we need for the baby -- I only had to get a few small things. It took me FOREVER to take all the tags and stickers off of all the clothes and make sure we had everything. I washed everything from clothes to bassinet sheets & blankets to bath towels and wash clothes. I just couldn't wait!

I am just getting so anxious. I had my 36 week check-up at the doctor's today and he said the baby's head is down, and in position so I should be ready to go any week now. How exciting, right?! 4 weeks left..I think I am going to go early, though! I predict July 7th, but my due date is July 18th! Little Frank Jr. kicks and moves so much that it makes me even more anxious to meet him. Frank is more excited than you can imagine. He put the bassinet together a few days ago and was so proud of himself. I was so proud that I took pictures from beginning to end LOL. Check them out at www.myspace.com/iloveyoupeanut.

On another note, Frank just got a new job at FritoLay! It was a long process getting in there but he's been training for about 3 weeks now. His schedule went from an 8a-5p job to 3am to 6pm, but he says it's all worth it. He says he is doing it ALL for the two of us, meaning me and our little peanut. The job offers great health benefits, 401k, pension, and not to mention great pay. We needed more money and health benefits, but the other things are just more perks for the future! Frank is such a great husband and he would do anything he had to to support his family.

If you're wondering whether or not he stopped going out to bars and drinking, the answer is yes. He goes to work, comes home, sleeps, and does it all over again the next day. When he does have time to do anything, we spend that time together. Even though I sleep next to him every night, I still miss him because I really don't get to see him that much anymore. I stopped working about a week ago, but I will be going back to work once the baby is born, probably 8-10 weeks after our little peanut is here. We can't WAIT!

I hope you all got to see the update show. If you didn't, I am feeling much better about my brother/sister-in-laws. We have definately gotten a lot closer and now I have them watching Frank closely. They are always telling him that he better be doing certain things for me and helping me out around the house because I am pregnant. Also, his sisters got on him about going out to bars and drinking, too, because he has a family now. He stopped long before they ever said anything, anyway. It just feels good to know I have people to turn to now. I really do love Frank's family and they all cannot wait for the baby to get here. Everything is just working out great and we are so happy!!!

I hope you enjoy the pictures and I will try to keep everyone as updated as possible with the baby coming and all!!!

Talk To You Soon!

Love Always,
Mr. & Mrs. Melasecca <3

Ashley and Byron are Expecting!

Hey everyone! As a lot of you may know, WE ARE PREGNANT!!!

Yes, it is true! I am only six weeks and will keep you guys posted on everything. Our first child, how exciting! I wonder how he/she is going to look. Sorry, I am just thinking out loud.

Hey ynginlove20, I just read your message today. I thank you for seeing me as an inspiration -- that is really special. All I have to say to you is stay strong and continue to love your husband no matter what. It ain't his fault his family is like that. (Sorry, but true.) Love can conquer anything as long as you are both in it together.

I know it ain't easy taking care of two little ones. I think taking care of kids and maintaining your house is equally, or even more work than a full time job. Keep on doing what your doing, girl, and don't let nobody tell you different. Your kid and family are more important and as long as their happy and you're happy, that is all that matters. In fact you can come vent yourself with me whenever you want.

Personally, I know it is hard when you hold it all in. You can write me on myspace or here, whichever you prefer.

This is for everybody: if you are trying to add me as a friend, just write me a message and let me know who you are and all add you: myspace.com/ash13y5

Ashley

Check-In From Jacob and Chantel

I know we're the last to update, but I've been out of commission for the past five days. I had my wisdom teeth removed, and let me tell you, it was no fun!

The love story of Jacob and Chantel ... ha-ha:

Before I met Jacob I was at a point in my life were I was ready for a change. I was ready to fully give my life back to Christ and I didn't want anything or anyone distracting me.

Jacob and I were introduced at a friend's birthday party. It wasn't anything special; there were no fireworks or magic. It was just me meeting another person. I was hanging out with my friend Krystina a lot and she started bringing me to this home fellowship that Jacob attended. Jacob was very flirtatious and I wasn't. One night after home fellowship, we were at a friends surprise party and Jacob went; I remember my friend Sarah and I were exchanging phone numbers and all of a sudden Jacob comes up to me with his phone out asking me for my number. I can't even tell you how many times I turned him down. He must have asked me a dozen times for my number and I said no. So, finally, I gave in and gave it to him.

You have to remember; it wasn't that I wasn't attracted to Jacob or anything like that; but I was at a point in my life where I wanted all of my attention and energy to be on God and Him alone. I didn't want the distraction of dating or having a boyfriend because at the time I felt like that would only bring me down.

A couple of days later I went riding quads with my dad at this really rugged trail at Lake Moreno. Something happened when I was riding to were my quad was on two wheels and I fell off and all 600 lbs. of it rolled over on top of me. I was only by the grace of God that I came out of that with a few scratches and a bruised knee. Jacob heard about my accident and decided to call me to see if I was okay. We were talking for a good hour on the phone. He told me later; that night he went to a friends house and told her that he was just on the phone with the person he was going to marry. Let me remind you that Jacob and I only knew each other for about a week and we weren't even dating.

By then Jacob was calling me more and I was starting to develop feelings for him. He would bring me soup when I was sick and hang out with me.

I was constantly praying; Lord, if this is not the man I am suppose to marry take him out of my life. I don't want to date; I'm over having boyfriends that last a few months. I'm serious about my walk with you Lord and if Jacob isn't it for me; then I don't want it.

I can't even tell you how many times I prayed that. And the thing is; God never took him out of my life. Even when I was starting to fall in love with him; I would be on my knees praying if he wasn't it, I didn't want it.

That's how I knew Jacob was the man I was supposed to be with and marry.

I get that question all the time, "How did you know he was the one?" And I tell people my testimony of how faithful God is and how He does provide. Everything happens on His perfect timing.

The best advice I can give people who are about to embark on marriage is this: on your wedding day just take five minutes with your husband or wife and take everything in. It all goes by so fast you're left wondering where it all went. Enjoy your day and remember that is only happens once. Marriage is one of the greatest gifts from God and people seem to take it so lightly. A lot of people think because we are young that since it is a huge commitment that we're taking marriage lightly and just did it on a whim. But that is so not even close to the truth.

For better or for worse, till death do us part; those are our vows and that is how it will be for the rest of our lives.



Chantel



You can check out some photos from our personal collection here

Updates from Aussie and Jason

So it is 8:30 in the morning. Jason is passed out, mouth open, in bed and me, well, I'm wide awake ready to go do something. Jason and I never wake up at the same time. During the week Jason is the one waking up around 6:00 a.m. for work, while I get to sleep in. Then during the weekends he wants to spend half the day sleeping while I'm wide awake!

Married life is great. Nowadays it's hard to catch us on the same page because our daily lives are so different we get tired at different times, want to have sex at different times, want to eat at different times ... but, honestly, I couldn't ask for anything better than Jason. We learn to accommodate each other and that's what it's all about, making sure we are BOTH happy! I really love life with him in it; there is just never a dull moment around Jason. I wish people could see how he really acts when no one is around. He is definitely a one of a kind, silly, little kid, who just wants to play.

Today we are getting Jason a new car. Well, the car is no where near new, but it's new to Jason. Jason had a 1991 Chevy Silverado that wasn't working very well so he sold it a couple of days ago and now he is using that money to buy a car that he can drive to work. So, today we are going to go pick up a 1988 Mazda RX7. It's a two-seater, so I'm excited about that. It's an only Jason and Aussie car! It's also a stick shift, and let me tell you, I do not do well with stick. I've tried to learn, but every time I try, I freak out when I get past first gear and I don't know what to do. But I am determined to learn. So I will have to keep you updated on my progress once we get the car.

Oh, my dad! It is also his birthday today, I don't have anything planned; well, I don't have any money to plan anything. I am still bitter about all the nothing that he paid for at the wedding. Hey, I don't have money for his birthday, he should understand. I mean, there is always next year. But my wedding, that is not next year and will never be again. I got him a card and I think I used Jason's money to buy it -- pretty lame. Right now I'm kind of in between jobs, so I have more bills than I can afford. Thank God I have Jason. Jason said to me a while ago, "Hey Aussie, I think I'm going to have to start giving you an allowance!"

Well, it is almost 9:00 am. I think its time to jump on Jason, I mean, he is missing his Saturday morning cartoons!

Aussie

-----------------------------

I have always been big on writing lyrics, poems, sentences, essays -- anything. I think it all started when I was in elementary school with stupid little poems, then to middle school writing love songs when I knew nothing about love, then to high school essays and more poems and lyrics about everything going on in my life.

Well, November 23, 2005, Jason Ramos came into my life and it took me about a month to write this song about him. This was when Jason and I were still new, of course, and all we said was, "I like you." The last line in the song says, "I love you." It actually took me a while to give the song to Jason, because I was scared what he would think and scared because we had never said "I love you" to each other. I finally gave him the song in the end of December and he loved it. I was the first person who has ever written him a song.

Here is the song:

"December Eleven"

I like you a lot love/ And I really do miss you too/ With everyday we experience together/ Well, dear we are just kids with days and years to go/ But lovers crave for what we see and feel/ So let me write you that novel I said I would of a boy that drove me

See, I've been building these sky high walls around my body and soul/ How I've longed to be untouchable yet, loved/ These walls I swear were made for ... well, honestly, I'm not sure what for/ From start to no finish/ That night I sat quiet with eyes intensely watching your every move/ These walls you begin to tear down so gently, just right/ How could I have known/ You caught me so unarmed and beautiful/ Intoxicated and vulnerable/ Dear, you took care of me, out of harm

I like you a lot love/ And I really do miss you too/ Take me in/ Take me out of here/ Because reading each other's minds and just losing all control between you and me/ yeah you think exactly like me/ Beautifully precious

So, you said I could and now we hold hands/ Going strong fast together/ Covering Berkeley street with sheets covering us/ Foggy windows shared with cold winter nights/ And this music that we intake and frosties we inhale/ Smiles, laughs, never ending fingertips/ You are what puts me to sleep, darling.

I like you a lot love/ And I really do miss you too/ Take me in/ Take me out of here/ Because reading each other's minds and just losing all control between you and me/ yeah you think exactly like me/ Beautifully precious.

Your hand always seems to find me/ Just at the right time and place/ As do I/ Yes, as do I/ I said I liked you/ You say you will never leave/ Things are said, but who is to tell/ We all know only time will tell/ But we both know time will tell it right/ Take straight out of the movies and made compatible/ The old lady smiled at us, dear/ I swear they all love us/ And I swear I love you

Aussie

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MALICIOUS SLAUGHTER IS BACK TOGETHER!!!!!!! We ended up getting back together after the show and we are currently making new music. We hope to get EP's out this summer. Malicious Slaughter really appreciates all the support everyone has given us. Aussie and I also love all the support and good feedback from the show. It is great to know that we have inspired people everywhere to stand up for the their love. This whole experience has been amazing and we hope to bring more great times to everyone!!! Thank you again for EVERYTHING!!!

http://www.myspace.com/maliciousslaughter

-Jason

Aussie and Jason: Wedding Vows

I, Jason Ramos, take My Aussie Rachel, to be my lawfully wedded wife, my best friend, and partner in life. I promise to love you, take care of you and always be there for you when you need me because you are my other half, Para siempre, Everday for the rest of our lives.

I, Aussie Rachel Hertz, take you, Jason Philip Ramos, to be my companion, provider, and partner in life. You are my teammate and soul mate. I will honor and support you in everything that you do. I will hold your hand and stand by your side through sickness and health, in good times and bad for as long as we both shall live. Jason, I will love you unconditionally now and everyday for the rest of our lives.

June 7, 2007

Aussie cooked dinner for me today. It wasn’t a five course meal or anything. Before she started cooking, my diet consisted of sandwiches and microwave foods, which, as we all know, isn’t quite healthy for you. I really enjoyed the fact that she cooked for me because it shows that she wants to make me happy. Let me remind you, Aussie has never really wanted or cared about cooking, but tonight she did and it was GREAT!

Check out our myspace for some more updates on my band: http://www.myspace.com/maliciousslaughter

-Jason

Josh and Bre Check In

Hi,

Bre and I attended the same schools from kindergarten through high school graduation (she was the first girl I ever had a crush on in the 3rd grade). As we got older, she was after me all through high school, but I was always busy dating older girls. Finally, our junior year, we went to homecoming together, dated for awhile, and then I ditched her for an older girl. She hated me through the rest of our high school stay and we didn't really talk until college.

To make a long story short... I was in a few bands and strangely enough Bre was always the inspiration for most of the songs I wrote. We eventually ran across each other through mutual friends and I got up the courage to show her one of the songs. She laughed and cried at the same time and has been madly in love with me ever since.

On a more serious note, married life is great. Not only is Bre my wife, she is my best friend. We truly complement each other well and I couldn't imagine my life without her.

God bless,

Josh

ps: Check out my music at www.myspace.com/thebrilliantlastfrontier.


Hey, everybody.

Since Josh and I don't have access to the Internet, I am hardly on to get any of your emails and check my messages, I apologize if there have been any questions that have gone unanswered.

Anyways, everything is going great at the Stewart household. We are busy as always and it can be very exhausting! Josh is taking his first summer off from school, and it has been nice for him to get a little break and get a few things done that he has really been wanting to get done. We get really excited about fixing up our house and have already done a lot. There are still big plans for what we would like to do, but we know that we have to take it one step at a time.

I started a new job, and it has been wonderful! I work for a chiropractor now and I am learning so much about the health care field. I have not come across one thing I don't like about the job.

I think one of the biggest pieces of advice I might give about marriage, is to keep your priorities straight. It can be so easy to lose track of your priorities when you get married, because you both just get comfortable and when you are busy, you get exhausted. Make the time for each other and the little things in life. Remind one another not to take things for granted, or to take each other for granted. Respect each other and work together as a team!

There are so many things to say and I am actually falling asleep writing this, so I hope everyone is doing well. And please let me know if there are any questions I may be able to answer or any advice I can give!

Thanks,

Bre

Jess and Frank Say Hello!

Hi everyone,

Frank and I have been together for about six years now and married four months! We met when I was 14 and Frank was 17 at one of our high school dances. We just danced and spent all of our time together at the dance. At the time, Frank was seeing someone and a week later broke up with her to ask me out. Frank was a little shy, I guess, because he gave one of MY friends HIS number and asked my friend to ask me to call him. Well, as much fun as I had at the dance with him, I decided to call him and from there we started seeing each other A LOT!

Only a few weeks later Frank sent me an IM and wrote "143" and signed off. He was telling me he loved me, LOL, but was too afraid to stay online to see my response. (Like I said, he must have been shy then.) So, the next day I called him and said, "I know what 143 means and I love you too," and ever since then we have been in love and inseparable.

We have had our differences and break-ups but what couple doesn't? Just think if Frank never stopped seeing the other girl and made an effort to talk to me after the dance, we wouldn't be here today, married and waiting for the arrival of our little boy. We are so in love and can not wait for our little peanut to get here. We only have about five and-a-half weeks left. YAY!

We are so glad we got to be on "Engaged & Underage" and share our lives with the world. We have been receiving a lot of great comments from everyone and appreciate it so much. We love hearing from other couples and their stories of how they got married young and why. So, keep the comments coming. We love talking to new people and exchanging stories!!

Talk to you soon,

Jessica

Ashley and Byron Check In

Hey guys, this is Ashley.

I haven't written for a long time, but now I'm back and ready to answer any questions and comments you have.

We also have some awesome photos.

Check Them Out Here

Well, I just wanted to let you know a little more about my hubby (how corny! oh well) and me. We first met in high school; I was a sophomore and he was a senior. I just think that we were meant to be because he went to every elementary school I went to, but we just never met each other. We also had the some of the same teachers! Weird, huh?

Well, back to my story I was in my fourth period PE class and then in walks in my teacher's aide, Byron. For some reason I told my friend that was sitting next to me, "I bet you we are going to end up talking." I just had that gut feeling.

Well, we got to know each other and became friends first, and we would talk about our problems all the time. He had a girlfriend and I was talking to somebody, so we never took it to another level other than friends. Until one day Byron runs up to me and says I broke up with my girlfriend, he was all excited. It was then that I knew he had feelings for me.

Then, I don't know how we started playing this corny game, but he would tell me a couple of letters that were in the name of a girl he liked and I started telling him a couple of letters in the name of a boy I liked. Guess who it ended up to be? I was telling him letters in his name and he was telling me letters in my name! So then he decides to ask me out, and I said "No." You know, you've got to play hard to get sometimes!

A week or two later he tried to ask me again, but he didn't actually ask me. He tried doing hand signals because he was speechless. (Who does hand signals? Who is that corny? My husband, apparently.) He started doing heart signals and, of course, I acted dumb and said, "What do you mean?" Then he put two fingers together and crossed them then I got tired of the hand signals and said, "Just say what you want to say," then he said, "You know what I mean, do you want
to be my girlfriend?" I said, "Yes!" We have been together ever since March 5, 2003.

Oh my gosh, I've got to tell you about he proposed! I'll keep it short this
time. September 24, 2006, my birthday. He pissed me off so bad that day that I was in the room crying the whole night. At like 11:55, he calls me
outside and apologizes and hugs me. Then while he is hugging me he pulls out the ring from behind his back and points at it. Guess what he tried to do again? Hand gestures! Yeah, I said it: hand gestures.

I asked him what he said. "You know." Then I was like, "No I don't know. What?" Then he came out with it and said, "Will you MARRY me?" First I said, "Punk
ass!" I was still kind of mad. "YES!!!" He says he planned it like this all along, to get me mad, but I think he is lying.

There is only one letter Byron had ever wrote me and it took him two weeks to write. It is so corny! Here it goes, some examples of Byron's sensitive side:

"I will bend down and tie your show if you want me to."
"I hope our love goes up north and not down south."
"I love you like a fat kid loves cake."

Here are a couple of tips from us:

1. Stay strong, no matter what anybody says.
2. Always show love and affection.
3. Tell each other you love each other everyday.
4. Stay true to each other.
5. And always put God first and everything will come out right.

Thanks!

An Update From Lauren and David

Hello again from Florida,

Thank you all so much for all your amazing comments and encouraging words you left on our last blog post. I thought I would update everyone on where we are and answer a few questions you had asked us.

First just to get the two biggest questions out of the way:

1. The song we danced our first dance to was "Nothing Fancy" by Dave Barnes, check him out.

2. The wedding dress designer was Maggie Sotterro and the style was the Capri Marie. I love that dress it was the first one I picked out in the store in NY and I knew it was the one as soon as I tried it on.

A lot of people have talked to us in person, through messages and comments about how we were virgins when we got married and if we were still glad we had waited so long. Our answer to this question is simple: absolutely. I believe there are a lot of lies out there depicted by society and media, one of which is we have to try before we buy.

People have asked me, "Well, how could you be sure you like it if you have never had sex before?" I guess that question logically doesn't make much sense to me, because how would I ever know the difference. My husband always is and always will be "the best I've ever had" because I have chosen to make him the only one I've ever had. To us, this was a gift that we have chosen to protect and give only to each other. I think another lie out there is that it isn't possible any more to save yourself for marriage. We have done it, it is possible.

All of this raises the issue of, "I have already done all this before what's the point." First let me say, I don't think that a decision makes someone any better or worse as a person. Meaning, David and I are not and don't pretend to be better than anyone else for deciding to save ourselves. I believe everyone, including those who have had sex before, has the ability to value sex, and decide it going to be a gift for your husband or wife.

A comment on the last blog post stated she had been physically been taken advantage of by guys her whole life and has trouble trusting. She asked how I knew David could be trusted in marriage for the rest of my life. I knew I could trust David in marriage because I was able to trust him in dating. Those things I had dreamed would be in the man I married were in him when we dated. He respected me 100% physically and emotionally, he valued me far beyond his physical desires. I say this time and time again, who they are in dating, especially the bad parts of who they are, will be amplified in marriage. If a person deliberately does not respect your boundaries now (what ever those boundaries might be), they will not later.

So that's all for now, thanks so much for allowing me to go on for so long. Read David's blog post to hear what we're up to now.

Lauren


Hello again from David.

I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the comments and encouraging words. The response on tour was also so overwhelming; it was great to meet some of you while we were out on the road. Thank you to everyone who has shown support for To Write Love on Her Arms.

The response after the "Just Married" episode aired was incredible, so many people wrote in and bought a shirt or two, it was crazy. It was great working for the organization and we loved the work we did with it.

We have since left the organization to start our own called The Love Alliance (love-alliance.org or myspace.com/thelovealliance).

The purpose of the organization is to educate people on different issues of social injustice and get them involved with the issues that matter most to them. We hope to form a community of people who want to make a difference in the world.

We are on our way up to Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois, next week and will have some shirts and info cards at several booths; maybe we will see some of you there.

Everything is so new right now, but we are really excited for the future. We will try to keep everyone updated. Thank you all for the support.

David

Jessica: Marriage & Baby Update

Hey Everyone! Thank you guys soooooo much for all the congrats on everything! Frank and I are doing great. We have been saving our money for the baby to come and the house we will eventually move into. I'd say we have been doing pretty good.

As for married life, well Frank and i have been married now for 2 months and it has just been awesome. We are really great together and never make a decision without consulting each other first, which i love. I feel like i always have someone to answer my questions or help me with a problem. I love being married. I can't wait until we finally get a house of our own. I love to decorate and I'm sure i'll have a ball decorating our house!! As you all know, we are expecting also and the one thing i can't wait to decorate is the baby room, but the baby won't have a nursery until we move into our own house.

Our move date should be about 6 months after the baby is born. I am due July 18th! I am 27 weeks now...so I only have about 13 weeks left!!! My belly is huge!!! ahhhhh!!! I can't wait. Frank and I are so excited about the baby coming. The baby has been moving and kicking his mommy a lot lately, too. It really is an amazing feeling to have him kick me. It's just something you can't explain. Especially when you see your belly just move! I went to Babies R Us a few weeks ago to register for my baby shower and I had so much fun. I wanted to buy EVERYTHING in the store. I am not sure when my baby shower is because my mom is planning it and she's keeping it a surprise. Usually i can get surprises out of her but not this time LOL. I know it's some time in June, though, and I can't wait.

For more updated information go to www.myspace.com/iloveyoupeanut, I update my blog very frequently and answer a lot of questions!

Thank you,
Love always,
Mrs. Melasecca <3

Highlights from Chantel and Jacob

Hey guys, it's Chantel and Jacob!

We just had our first Easter as a married couple and it was great. We went to breakfast with my family then we went and had lunch with his. We have hot water in our house!!! That has been the highlight of my week so far. We went about two weeks without it and it made us grateful to live in the country that we do!

Yes we do have a myspace, we've had one for a long time now. It's www.myspace.com/soguttersoghettosohood. We've been getting a lot of positive feed back from everyone and it's been amazing! We just want to thank everyone for their loving and encouraging comments. It's comforting to know that there are couples out there like us, and that we can help others in similar situations.

Chantel- I'm currently not driving due to a medical condition that happened about a month and a half ago. I get my license back in another month and a half, which I'm excited for. It's been such an incredible blessing, because I walk to work every morning. It takes me about ten minutes to get there because I work right down the street from where I live. I've been able to take in the world and enjoy God's creation. It's been amazing the things I've been enjoying while walking. I think driving doesn't really allow you to enjoy the sky or the trees or the sun. Our earth is filled with such beauty and it's amazing to see it all!

I am fine medically. I honestly feel it was a one time thing, so no need to worry!

Jacob- I'm still working, trying to fix up our house. We still have a lot to do, but everything is coming together perfectly. We're enjoying life and enjoying each other. I just put in a pond out in our little yard. Putting the house together has been exhausting, but over all it's been worth it. I'm able to give my wife and myself an amazing home!

Thanks for the support, and keep checking back with us!

Army Wife Update

Well, Jake finally graduated his schooling and he is home! We have these couple days together before he leaves for PTA which is 2 weeks long. I cant wait for him to just be done with it all! We have a couple of answers to your questions....

1. Are we having kids? Yes- but we decided as a couple that it is better for us to wait until Jake is done with his tour in Iraq.

2. When is Jake deploying? Jake is deploying this November and his tour is 18 months long!

3. Do we have a myspace? Yes- our web address is www.myspace.com/zeuskr8zy. I also have a facebook account. Just look up Jennifer Koszewski.

4. How much time do we actually spend together? Well honestly... we never really have time together. If we are lucky..we have about 2 nights a week together. Next month we should have more time with one another, but us military wives know what to expect marrying a soldier!

5. Has Jake changed since we got married? Yes!!! He is more interested in the married life and spending time with only his wifey! I guess reality hit him and he realizes that we dont have much time together since he is deploying.

Hmm... I dont really remember anymore questions, but I think I answered the majority of them. Thanks for the support!! And check out our page!!

Chantel: Moving On With Marriage

We finally moved back into our house!! It's been a total of 6 months since our house caught fire. It was a nightmare in the beginning! But waiting that long has been so worth it. Our house looks incredible; better than before! We feel like we're finally starting to settle down. When we were living in the trailer it kind of felt like our lives were on hold; only because we weren't doing the normal married thing. We couldn't make our own dinner our do laundry in our own home. Being back in our house makes us appreciate the things we have so much more!

Jacob and I both work full time. We do have health insurance (for the person who asked) and we own the home we live in! Not too many young couples can say that…especially if you live in California.

We just bought another puppy. Her name is Jill and we get her in about two weeks! So far we can't complain. God has been faithful and provided for us with all of our needs. We're incredibly happy and excited to see what God has in store for us in the future!