How Tyler & Joi Met
Our family spent some time on a retreat to the lake this weekend. It was a restful few days spent by the water reflecting on where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are headed. In the midst of raising four little ones, I often find myself looking across the table at my partner with gratitude. We met in fall of 2009 when we were just a year out of high school. I was heading into my sophomore year of college, enrolled in 21 credits (dedicated over-achiever), and in the first year of starting a non-profit called Art Burns Red.
Tyler and I met because I was planning a coffee shop tour that was a combination of artists, musicians, and creative writers. Original works of art were pulled together to put on a show at coffee shops across the Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansa area. When both of the musicians for the tour cancelled (they broke up!), I found myself in need of two musicians that were talented song-writers and available to go on an impromptu tour with only two weeks notice. We travelled on and off for two months together. To this day- road trips are still Tyler and I’s very favorite thing to do together!
I’ll never forget the first time I talked to Tyler on the phone. His contact information came through on the Art Burns Red website and I looked up his music on YouTube. I liked what I heard so I gave him a call. A low, whisper voice came through the phone. He was 19 years old and on his first day at a new job that had him selling vacuums. He started telling me about how he was going door to door and thought it was a scam. I laughed so hard on that first phone call with this absolute stranger. That conversation was the start of a friendship that has lasted for over 10 years.
As we celebrated our 10th year of marriage and our fourth little one (a baby girl!), we are reminded of those early years when we were traveling the country and hosting live music together. In our early twenties we agreed to not only pursue our dreams together, but to share that pursuit with our children. We are so thankful for this opportunity and that we get to share this dream with you all as well!
