Jordan & Colten

We are very family-oriented people. As such, we partake in a few traditions every year to create great memories and spend time with those that mean the most to us. In honor of Colten’s Grandpa, who played for the Tigers in the fifties, we travel each year to attend a football game in Death Valley. We started this tradition as just the two of us, but many friends and family have joined us over the years. For 30+ years, Colten’s entire family has gathered at his Nana and Grandpa’s house for Christmas Eve. Now that Nana has moved into an assisted living apartment, she has passed the tradition on to Colten’s uncle, who continues to host the entire family in that very same home. Jordan’s family has always made a point of having Christmas together, even if that means celebrating it at odd times. One year, it was Valentine’s Day, and another, it was the middle of Summer. The date is never the same, but it doesn’t matter as long as we are all together. Each Summer, our niece and nephew visit for a week that we spend making as many memories as we can. The planning for their visit usually starts with the question, “What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do?” Recently, we’ve started holding our own Thanksgiving with any family and friends who may not have anywhere to go. We believe in the values and memories that traditions can create and hope to continue honoring our legacies by passing them on to the next generation.

Most weekends, you can find us enjoying the comforts of being at home, curled up on the couch, re-watching our favorite TV sitcoms. We’ve accumulated an extensive board game collection and often have friends over to play. There is also an occasional Mario Kart tournament hosted at our house. In high school, Colten started playing Magic: The Gathering with his friends, and they still get together to play when they can. Since moving to the suburbs, we have established a close-knit friend group. We spend a lot of time together, sharing meals at each other’s houses and going to weekly Trivia Nights at a local dive. Depending on the weather and the time of year, we usually roast s’mores and chat over the fire pit or grill, and have a pool day to beat the Texas heat. If anyone in the group has a project, the entire friend group is helping out. Everyone is super supportive; we know we can always count on each other.

The two of us have always loved animals, so we adopted our first pet together shortly after we got married. Our cat, Boo, chose us when we visited our local shelter. He had such a personality and would not leave us alone. He has been attached to our sides ever since. He is talkative and playful and loves to snuggle. After moving into our first house with a yard, we knew we wanted a dog. It was fate that an acquaintance needed to rehome their Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix. Sam is shy at first, but once he warms up, you have a friend for life. He is always down for a good game of fetch. We found the cutest German Shepherd/Husky mix puppy on another adventure to our local shelter. Axel has never met a stranger in his life, and when this escape artist occasionally does some exploring on his own, he can always be found hanging out with the neighbors to get in some extra scritches.

I spent most of my childhood barefoot and covered in dirt. My closest friend lived in our small neighborhood, so we always climbed trees or rode bikes outside. I remember always having skinned knees and grass stains from our adventures. The man who would one day become my Dad lived in that same neighborhood. He had been my favorite person since I was an infant, but he and my mom didn’t get married until I was 7. I was glued to his side when he wasn’t out of town for work. If he was on the tractor, I was falling asleep in his lap. If he was going hunting, I was in the stand next to him, scaring away all the deer with my non-stop talking. He was and still is my best friend. After high school, I worked as an Emergency Room secretary. I saw the incredible impact that nurses can have and decided to go to nursing school. Since graduation, I have worked in several fields of nursing and have enjoyed each in its own way. After the pandemic, I took a step back for my mental health. I’m now working from home as a nurse, using my experience to support others. I love going on adventures, but I’ll settle for a quiet, rainy weekend with no plans. You can find me curled up somewhere with a good book. Fantasy books with magic and dragons are my absolute favorite. When I’m not reading, I usually watch TV or play board games with Colten and our friends.

I’m a native Texan, but I’m filled with Louisiana blood, making me a lover of the spicy and sometimes wild. I was raised by my dad and my grandparents, all native Louisianans. Because of those deep roots, I am a very passionate LSU fan and was blessed to have found a supportive wife who puts up with my gameday antics. Geaux Tigers! I grew up working in a small-town hardware and feed store. From there, my love and interest in hardware and the community around it led me to complete my business degree and begin a career in hardware sales. I get to travel and help local small businesses become successful. Jordan and I have gotten to do a lot of traveling throughout the United States, and my heart is in the mountains. I plan to continue exploring this great Earth with my future family. I am a big fan of sitcoms (especially comedy), board games, and Tex-Mex food. As I approach my 30s, I’ve taken up an interest in grilling and barbeque as they say that you must choose between that or war history. My loving support system surrounds me, including my wife, close friends, two sisters, father, grandmother, and loving in-laws. I have friends that I call brothers, and despite the distance and the growth of their own families, we still get together often to lean on one another for support.