We met in May 2010 while Alexa was part of a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with an international Christian missions movement called Youth With a Mission (YWAM) at a training base in the south of England called Holmsted Manor. Joel had already completed a DTS at the same base in June 2009 and was returning from a small team outreach in Berlin when we first met...
Joel was asked to help out with Alexa’s DTS because they were short on staff. While he was there we were able to really get to know each other and build a friendship. We spent time together in some lectures, work duties, and some team times. It was a really fun time. We were able to be silly and ourselves all the time. We always enjoyed each others company.
Joel went away to visit a friend in America and that is when Alexa realized she had feelings for Joel. So, she told him how she felt. Joel also realized the same thing, he had feelings for Alexa too. We decided to be friends and not talk about our feelings towards each other. We felt it would be inappropriate since Alexa was in the middle of her DTS. Joel wanted Alexa to be focused on God. She was going to go away on outreach and it was going to be 11 weeks, Joel and Alexa wouldn’t see each other. It was a really difficult time for both of us. Alexa decided not to talk to Joel on her outreach so she could be 100% committed to everything God had for her while she was in Egypt.
By the time Alexa was to come back from outreach both her and Joel had no idea where the other person stood, or if he or she still like them. This made the first meeting after 11 weeks between us a little bit awkward! We decided that we needed to have a quick chat so that things wouldn't be weird, so we went out to the beautiful gardens at Holmsted Manor and sat on the ground. And immediately we connected again. It was like we had never been apart. The connection between us has always been strong and out of it had birthed such a wonderful friendship between Joel and Alexa.
We said our teary goodbyes to staff and students and left the manor a week later. This was to begin our 11 days together touring England! First stop Reading, Joel's home town. Alexa met the family for the first time, still not as an "official" couple but definitely "together". We spent one night in Reading before driving north to Leeds where we would spend one night with some of Joel's YWAM friends. This was a great time and the journey was incredible. We chatted, shared life stories and grew to know each other so much more, while holding hands for most of the journey. :-) On our way back from Leeds we decided to stay the night at The Kings Lodge (another YWAM base in England), it was here that Joel asked Alexa to be his girlfriend. She said yes. The remainder of our days together in England were very much enjoyed. Lots of laughs and just time to grow as a new couple. It was perfect.
September 24th Alexa flew back to California and this begun a long distance relationship...
Date: 12 March 2011
Time: 2:30pm
Place: New Hope Christian Fellowship, 300 Trask Lane, Modesto, CA 95354, USA
Date: 12 March 2011
Time: 4:30pm
Place: 5120 San Felice Drive, Salida, CA
It will be hosted in a garden with food and beverages provided.
Maps will be provided at the wedding, car pooling is encouraged.
The nearest airport is Sacramento, CA
