Behind the Wedding: The story of our engagment

In an effort to provide our viewing audience with a little context about our impending nuptials, we present the rundown of how I scared the everliving out of Lisa popped the question.

A View of Taipei

Taipei 101 Skyscraper, originally uploaded by *Yueh-Hua 2009.

This is totally my picture. (j/k)

But seriously, here's a hot little view of Taipei, my next home town, courtesy of Flickr. Also, some neato-burrito facts:

Area
- City	271.7997 km2 (104.9 sq mi)
- Water	2.7 km2 (1.0 sq mi) 1.0%
- Urban	2,457 km2 (948.7 sq mi)
Population (March 2009)
- City	2,619,920
- Density	9,639.16/km2 (24,975/sq mi)
- Urban	6,752,826
- Metro	10,072,918
Time zone	CST (UTC+8)

"Are you excited for Thailand?"

Picture+2, originally uploaded by Chris & Lisa Webb.

Ok, let's get this out of the way: We are going to Taiwan, not Thailand. See map.

If someone would have told me that the Senior Class president had to do a speech, I probably would have declined the nomination...

Continuing on the theme of graduation stuff, I present yet another video from Commencement Sunday. This response-to-the-speaker that I had to give was probably the most nervous I've ever been in my entire life, and if you could see beyond the pulpit, you'd probably LOL at my hands shaking like I had Parkinson's Disease.

Shutup, "Madagascar": I HATE to move it move it.

Accepting the Diploma

By the way, if you listen closely you can kinda hear Colonel Sanders Union College Academic Vice President Malcolm Russell chuckling before he speaks into the mic. That's because I'm telling him how to pronounce my name.

Throughout the Commencement excercises, there were some crazy names for Malcolm to pronounce: Samoans, Asian, and at least one Egyptian. In a moment of nervousness, I decided to crack and joke and inform Malcolm the correct way to pronounce Chris Webb: "Exactly how it looks". Luckily, he missed my joke, gave me a confused look, and then just read my name.

Graduation!

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA—Finally...

College, CHECK; Student teaching, CHECK

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA—After what seemed like YEARS (because it was) of college, I've finally accomplished what 29% of Americans can claim to have done: walked out of a higher learning institution with a degree. Even though I still have a few days before I march, as of today, I am a bonafide teacher. Woot.

The final hoop involved in graduating was to do my student teaching, a very intense praticum that is basically an education department's answer to an internship. Working closely with Lincoln Southeast High School's Michelle Stewart and Johnna Graff, I taught 4 "preps" (different courses) and 5 classes:

• English 9
• Oral Communication (2 sections)
• Law and Literature
• Popular Culture

I could tell all kinds of stories about the amazing opportunities I had to work with such consummate professionals and excellent students, but we'll save that for another day. For now, I relish in the fact that I've walked the halls of Lincoln Southeast for the last time as an instructor...

...until Friday, when I come back to sub for my classes.

Gonna keep moving!

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA—Chris and I began dating in October 2006, and it's been a whirlwind of events ever since. I can't believe how much my life has changed and how many wonderful growing experiences and opportunities God has provided for us!

I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska and simultaneously traded one job in the mental health profession for the next. I am half-way done with a master's, and busy as ever. After spending months teasing and tormenting me, Chris proposed in October 2008 locking him into a life with me (how did I work that out!!!).

Chris and I came to a definite crossroad between his graduation, my career/education, and the wedding. We were ready for something different and both were looking to spread our wings a bit. We prayed and pondered, researched, and planned, and repeated the cycle multiple times. Doors opened, prayers were answered, and we jumped in with both feet! Taiwan, here we come! (AFTER the July 12, 2009 wedding of course-- can't forget the best day of my life!)

Lisa's First Marathon

Today, Lisa and her friend Shawna did their first half-marathon! Here's the proof:



Congratulations to those two crazy kids!

Welcome to Wasabi Kneesocks!

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA—Years ago, a dashing young man abandoned everything he knew and loved and held dear to his heart—his friends, his family, his preconceptions—and boarded a vessel to take him to uncharted territories. While there, he experienced adventures that others couldn't even begin to believe; adventures that tickled his mind, teased his tastebuds, and, occasionally, tortured his toesies. He came, he saw, he conquered, he left, he realized he left something there, he went back, he found the thing, he left again, and he lived to tell about it all.

This is not that story.

However, this is the story of a couple who met, fell in love, broke up with the people they were dating, began a year-long long-distance relationship, moved across the country to each other, found jobs, got engaged, finished college, planned a wedding, sold off everything they owned, got married, briefly honeymooned, and ran away to Taiwan for a couple years.* It's a story that, after reading it completely through, will make you laugh, make you cry, and earn you at least 67,344 Frequent Flier Miles. You're welcome.

In all seriousness, welcome to our blog. Lisa and I are going to do our best to keep up with this thing, if not to entertain you, so we may be able to go back years from now and giggle at the adventuresome time we had. There will be a lot of cool and fun stories about our transition to young, single kids to married world-travelers that we'll relay on this, so I hope you stay tuned and enjoy the ride with us. Take luck!

*I realize that was a run-on sentence to the fullest extent of the law. I shall now self-flagellate in recognition of my crimes.