It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty-five years since we first met at an Applebee’s in Austin, Texas. In that time, we’ve moved three times, called four different states home, loved and lost four sweet fur babies who held our hearts, we share our home with two greyhounds that add so much to our lives, and even managed to survive two car fires. Through it all, we’ve shed tears, shared laughter, and built a life together that we cherish every single day. This is the story of us.
Before We Met
Mikey was born in El Paso, Texas, but his family soon moved to Amarillo, where he spent most of his childhood in the wide-open spaces of the Texas Panhandle. In high school, he found his passions in orchestra and theater, two loves that have followed him throughout his life. He studied computer science at Texas Tech, then set out on his own, first moving to San Angelo and eventually making his way to Austin. Today, his parents still call Amarillo home, while his sister lives in South Fork, Colorado. Mikey’s happiest moments are often simple ones—playing his violin, tackling home remodeling projects, or stepping onto the stage for musical theater. And if you’ve ever heard him sing, you know he has the voice of an angel.
Michael was born in Dallas, Texas, and spent his early years in Mesquite before his family moved to Sunnyvale when he was five. In high school, he found joy in being part of the athletic training team. His path then led him to Texas A&M University, where he earned a degree in Marketing, followed by a master’s in Higher Education Administration. After graduation, he settled in San Marcos for his first full-time job. Growing up in a double family gave him the gift of two brothers and two sisters, and the sense of belonging that comes with it. Michael finds joy in reading, theater, and tending to the garden he loves.
Together, they share a spirit of adventure. One of their favorite ways to spend a day is at an amusement park, chasing the thrill of roller coasters and laughing together every step of the way.
Texas
We met online (yep, online) in the middle of 1999. On December 29 of that year, we agreed to meet in person for lunch at Applebee’s. We had such a great time that we extended the date through the rest of the day—and then the next day, too. We even rang in the new millennium together.
In 2000, we traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Millennium March. It was an incredible experience—our first time being in a place where we weren’t the minority sexual orientation. On October 31, 2000, Michael, dressed in a knight’s costume, proposed to Mikey in front of friends. It was a night of pure celebration. Well, actually, it took two tries—Michael chickened out the first time, but on the second, surrounded by friends, he found the courage to ask.
On June 2, 2001, we held a backyard wedding at our home in Austin. The evening was magical, with candles and twinkling lights all around. Several close friends and a handful of family gathered as we professed our love and commitment to one another.
Three years later, life took us on a new adventure. Michael was offered a job in Pensacola, Florida, and we decided to make the move.
Florida
Lesson learned: always check where a city is before you take a job there. When we moved, we quickly realized Pensacola is just over 10 miles from the Alabama border—north to south and east to west. Honestly, it felt more like Alabama than Florida.
Talk about culture shock. To say it was conservative would be an understatement. The University of West Florida leaned right, and the city even had a christian college that refused accreditation because the leadership didn’t want to follow federal education laws.
But it wasn’t all bad. We met some truly amazing people who became our chosen family. We spent holidays together, went on trips, lounged at the beach, and hung out by the pool. Those friendships were priceless—we haven’t found a group quite like that since leaving Florida.
One of the coolest projects we got involved with was helping start the Pensacola Shakespeare Theatre. A friend dreamed of creating a professional company, and we jumped in as board members to make it happen. At times, it felt like pushing a boulder uphill, but in the end, it was incredible to see the dream come alive. I learned so much through that experience.
Mikey kept busy performing at the Pensacola Little Theatre. He played leading roles in The Music Man and Hello, Dolly!, and also appeared in Forever Plaid, The Producers, and Ragtime. His role as Tateh in Ragtime is still my favorite—it was pure magic watching him act, sing, and dance his heart out.
As for me, most of my time went into work. I spent my days with students, building up orientation programs, and figuring out how to be a good Fraternity Advisor. At times, our friends joked that Mikey was a work widower.
By 2011, though, it was time to move on. Another chapter, another adventure.
New Mexico
Our next chapter took us to Las Cruces—home of the pecan capital of the world, White Sands National Park, the Organ Mountains, and the Chile Institute. We were immersed in Mexican culture and embraced every bit of it. We learned so much during our time there, spoiled by authentic Mexican food and blessed with friendships from people who had lived in the city their whole lives.
Given our location, we also took an incredible trip that included the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Durango, Colorado. At the Grand Canyon, we visited the south, east, and west rims. We also explored Antelope Canyon and saw Horseshoe Bend. In Las Vegas, we wandered through every casino, rode the Ferris wheel, and even caught the show O one night. Finally, in Durango, we hopped on the Durango–Silverton train. It was a special trip—just the two of us, soaking it all in together.
Mikey landed a wonderful job with La Clínica de Familia, a network of clinics throughout southern New Mexico. Their mission was to serve migrant workers and those without health insurance. The work they did was nothing short of inspiring.
It was also in New Mexico that we really went all-out for Halloween. Our first theme was The Butcher Shop, and it was such a hit that cars lined up just to drive by and see our house. It was awesome!
By 2019, it was time to pack it all up again—this time for the Northeast.
Conneticut
We moved into our new home on January 18, 2019. The very next morning, we woke up to about two feet of snow. Now, if you’re used to snow that might not sound like much, but when you’re the one out there shoveling, it’s a lot! Thankfully, the previous owners left us a snow blower. In true Mikey style, he dragged it out, figured out how to run it, and went to town. That first winter we learned a lot about snow—when to move it, how to move it, and the big rule: don’t let it melt and refreeze. Honestly, though, the smartest thing we did was just copy whatever our neighbor did.
We spent the first few years of COVID-19 hunkered down in Bristol. We didn’t go out much, and when we did, it was masks on. Mostly, we stuck to ourselves and tackled projects around the house.
When things started opening up, we had some fun exploring New England. We hit the Big E (the New England Fair), visited Mystic, Connecticut (yes—the one from Mystic Pizza!), and made trips up to New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. We even geeked out at a few museums: the American Clock & Watch Museum, the Carousel Museum, the Mark Twain House, and the Harriet Beecher Stowe House.
Mikey joined the Hartford Gay Men’s Chorus and totally rocked a solo at the spring concert. He brought the house down and even got voted Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, we both jumped into Bristol Pride and helped pull off their first big fundraiser. Oh—and for a little while, I worked in the amusement park industry, which reminded me just how much I love that world.
And now? Well, here we are, gearing up for the next big adventure. From here on out, the blogs will do the storytelling. Stay tuned.
