1987.That is when I met Jon, who ended up becoming one of my best friends. Time and distance have never kept us from keeping in touch - sometimes more frequently than others. He's traveled the world as a military officer while I've traveled the world of motherhood. Our lives went down completely different paths, but he was always only an email away, even when I was in Durham, NC and he was in a desert defending our country.
A few years ago, Jon married Beth. And despite hearing how wonderful she was, I never made it up to Alaska to visit. Then in January, when they were packing up and moving from Alaska to Italy (yes, I'm officially jealous), they decided to make a pit-stop in the lower 48. The Mathisons were a stop along their way. They'd had a long day of travel and weren't feeling so fresh, but I talked them into letting me drag them into the cold and take a few shots. Just the two of them, before baby comes along this summer. (Yes, she's pregnant! Yay!!)
Jon and Beth, I hope when your package of prints arrives in Italy, they'll make you smile. I love how in love you are. That is what makes me smile every time I look at these... your love for each other practically jumps right out of the photographs:-)
xoxo,
gretchen
