Let's back up a little....I'll fill you in on how the Thallers came to be (I know you are all so interested!).
In the Spring of 2004 Jordan and I both were attending San Diego Summer Project with Campus Crusade for Christ. Jordan of course was coming from TN and I was coming from WI. It was a summer shared with 121 other college students from across the country, and we were all learning how to grow in our relationships with the Lord as well as learning how to share God's love with perfect strangers:) SCARY!! We worked at Sea World and participated in many other activities throughout the summer....talking to people on the beach about their faith, outreaches in the community, etc. etc. Throughout this process, Jordan and I became friends. We would go swing dancing on Thursday nights and somehow managed to always be each others partner:) I began to know Jordan as a person that I admired for his faith in God and desire to be a strong Christian man. The last week of the summer, Jordan FINALLY asked me on a date....it was about time! It was by far the best first date of my life. It started at 6 in the morning with a surf lesson in the Pacific Ocean followed by a beautiful day in San Diego....the Rose Gardens where we painted (yes, he bought paint supplies and we painted pictures of the flowers), lunch at the Gardens, a trolley ride, a stroll on the beach, and finally ending at a spot on some cliffs where we talked and watched the ocean.
A few days later, summer ended and we went our separate ways. But it wasn't long before seeing each other again. Jordan and I managed (with the help of our parents)to visit each other about one time ever 4 to 6 weeks.
*An early dating picture...hiking in TN*
We dated long distance for about 9 months before we were planning for yet another Summer Project with Campus Crusade. This time we were heading to Belgrade, Serbia! Let's just say amazing!! Experiencing life in another country was scary, exciting and life changing. God really used that summer to grow our hearts for missions and for each other. I could go on and on about that summer....but this is a long story already. I'll just get to the good stuff:)
*A picture of me from my hotel window...overlooking downtown Belgrade
*A typical lunch...mmmmmm:)
About one week before we would be heading back to the States, my roommate Sarah and I had plans to meet up with a Serbian girl who wanted to know more about God and the Christian faith (or so I thought). As Sarah and I walked to the park where we would meet this girl, we prayed and discussed how we envisioned our conversation going. Sarah and I arrived at the park and I looked all around....but no girl. We approached a castle which was at the center of the park and I spotted a stuff bear that looked awfully familiar. I remember squinting my eyes imagining that I was seeing things. Sarah push me and told me to go check it out. She began to walk away leaving me with only the smile on her face. Now my heart was racing...what was going on??? So, I finally made it to the bear where I found a card that read "To the love of my life" in Jordan's writing. I remember opening up the card but not really being able to read what it said....I know there was a Bible verse but my eyes and brain weren't working together in that moment:) Just as I finished, Jordan appeared. He said something to me, but I think my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't hear him. He got down on one knee and pushed the little stuffed bear's hand (he had placed a voice recording in it). Of course, the bear said "Ange, will you marry me?" I joined Jordan down on the ground and said "Yes!!". My roommate Sarah had been asked to take pictures of the whole thing....what a wonderful way to remember our special moment! I learned about all the details later and we celebrated the beginning of our engagement in Belgrade.
Whoa...still with me?? My hands are getting tired, so I'm sure your eyes are too.
We decided to get married the following January back at Mission Bay where it all started. We were blessed to have so many family and friends join in our celebration. What a beautiful day God prepared for us!!
We started our lives together out in CO for a few reasons. One reason was that we simply weren't able to choose between TN and WI. We also had spent a little time in Colorado Springs for our training before we left for Serbia and absolutely loved it. I still had to finish my student teaching, and everything worked so smoothly when we began the process of finding a school I could work at. We felt sure God was opening doors and we just went for it! It was definitely a hard decision to be so far from both of our families, but I can see now how it truly made us rely on each other and grow even closer as a newly married couple.
*A few early pictures of our lives in CO
Jordan started work with his first engineering firm, and the following Fall I got my first teaching job. Life was good and exciting. We were constantly wondering where we would go next and what we would do with our lives. Jordan decided to start Seminary in the early part of 2007. He has always felt called to be working full time in ministry and knew this would help prepare him for whatever God wanted in his future.
*With some of the other teachers I worked with...on a field trip
In the mean time, I was starting to get the baby itch. For as long as I can remember I have wanted children and to be a stay at home mommy. Teaching is a wonderful profession and I'll always have a place in my heart for children with special needs, but I was ready for my own:)Well, sure enough...at the beginning part of March we found out we were going to have a baby, due to be born in November 2007.
*Ultrasound Picture
*17 Weeks Pregnant
*Baby-Moon in the Bahamas
*8 Months Pregnant-Hiking
Our lives dramatically changed as we prepared for our baby girl. I'm sure like all new parents, we went through a roller coaster of emotions during those 9 months, but mostly we were excited and ready to love and take care of our daughter. My pregnancy was very blessed as I felt great the majority of the time. Of course those last few weeks I felt like a beached whale, so when I was told at 38 weeks I had to be induced due to Pre-Pre-eclampsia, I was ready! Anastasia arrived after 4 hours of labor on October 30, 2007...weighing 6lbs 3oz. What an angel. I finally understood the love a parent can have for their child. Pure. Beautiful.
*She's Here!
*Grandmommy
*Nana
*Our first Christmas
Since Anastasia's birth, Jordan started a new job which allows him to work from home. He is still working through his Master's degree at Fuller Seminary...one or two classes at a time:) He is on track to finish March 2011. I'm so proud of all that he is doing to support our family and still have time to pursue this degree. Asia and I are very blessed to have a loving husband and father who makes us his priority. I stay at home with my favorite little person and I continue to learn how to be a better mom. It's the best job in this world.
