Intentionally growing in love.

Jessie & Tyson

ABOUT US

Jessie and Tys met in 2007, started dating in 2008 and got married in 2011. Jessie’s a secondary school teacher and Tys works as a performance coach. They are travel and adventure junkies, have a deep appreciation for music from the 60’s and love to go camping by the beach when they get a long-weekend away.

 

1. TELL US YOUR SIMPLE LOVE STORY

TP: I went to a Church in Ballarat for the first time. When I walked in I saw Jessie and thought ‘please be 18!’. She wasn’t. But after a couple of years the 4 years age gap didn’t matter so much. I asked her out and she said she wasn’t interested. I thought she was lying. Her Mum did too so she invited me to their house for dinner every Thursday. After a year, Jessie realized I was an AWESOME catch and she couldn’t resist my charm. Three years later I asked her to marry me. She cried and took the ring which I assumed meant yes.

JP: We met in my hometown, at the church I grew up in after Tys had moved there for University. We got on really well, but when he asked me out a few months later I was shocked and was not interested. A year later, after our friendship had bloomed I started to see him in a different way- and I got the courage to tell him I had changed my mind. Lucky for me, he had liked me all that time.

2. DESCRIBE ONE WAY YOU EACH INTENTIONALLY GROW YOUR LOVE?

TP: I wake Jessie up with a coffee each morning. I don’t mean that I pour it on her and she wakes up … I mean I bring it to her. It’s a small favor but I know it is her favorite start to the day.

JP: One way we grow our love is by slow dancing. We are no good at it, and these moments are more spontaneous than intentional but have come to mean a heap to us. Tys and I will have music playing as we cook, clean or are just doing odd jobs around home. Often we will find ourselves slow dancing in each other’s arms to the right song. It’s pretty romantic. And it’s great for both our love languages: Tyson’s need for personal touch and my need for affirmation (the words to the song are what get me)

3. SHARE YOUR MOST RECENT, OR FAVOURITE GO-TO DATE

TP: We are the café kings. Our dates usually revolve around going to a bloody good coffee shop and getting a great coffee. We just got back to Melbourne from London last week so we went to one of our favorite café’s, ‘Barry’ as soon as we landed.

JP: Tys and I were living in London close to Hampstead Heath the last couple of years and evolved a great appreciation for the parks and picnicking. In Europe you can buy a bottle of wine and drink it legally in public so we often made full use of this tolerance while watching the sun go down and the lights come on over the views of the city.

4. SHARE YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO KEEP A MARRIAGE THRIVING

TP & JP: Marriage is never 50%- 50%. Some days its is 10:90, others it is 70:30. Life is full of seasons and as long as you know this it will keep you from being bitter and misunderstanding when you need to pull your weight a little more, or it will help you to not feel guilty when it is your turn to be taken care of. Also, never judge your relationship based on someone else’s highlight reel. It can feel like other couples and families are full of fun and adventure but you never know what they struggle with in real life!