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Disclaimer: This is part two in a series covering my journey to where I’m at now. This is more for me than it is for you, but you are welcome to read! Some things have never been passed on before, some things have been shared in limited circulation.

…continued from Part 1.

July(ish) 1987 – Fall 1996

My Mom and Bruce Gagle got married during the summer before I went to kindergarten.  It was the summer of 1987.  I was paid a dollar to stand on said dollar and not move through out the ceremony.  I didn’t really care about the dollar, I was too excited about being the Ring Bear.  That’s right, Bear.  All I got was a silly tuxedo.

I’m still waiting on my bear suit.

Soon after, we moved to Kentucky.  My dad was in seminary at Asbury in Wilmore, KY.  I began kindergarten.  Sometime within the first week, I met a girl.  For some unknown reason I asked to walk her home.  In kindergarten.  Still not sure why I would even think of this at 5 years old, but I did.  I walked her the three blocks to her house only to realize that I was afraid to walk the four blocks the other direction to my house by myself.  My mom had to be called to come get me.  Big man when it came to walking a girl home, but when it really came down to it, I was just a big chicken.

We spent two years (Kindergarten and 1st Grade) there before returning to Florida after my Dad’s graduation.  From 1987 to 1996, we moved 6 times.  By the time I was in 8th grade I had gone through 8 schools.  Ahh, the life of a preacher’s kid.

Wen I was 8, my “Grandaddy Wells” passed away. My Mother’s Father, he had always been there for e and always found ways to make me feel special. I still look back to him a lot of times as a guide of how to treat people. We would wake up and walk the several blocks to the grocery store and get donut holes and milk and sit outside and eat them together before heading back. Yahootie. The Scrapbook. Hermit Crabs. The Trophy. Each one another story I could go on about. Maybe another post.

When I was 9 my sister, Janelle was born.  I was ecstatic. I had experienced the only-child life and was anxious to have a sibling to share it with. In the next few years, I got to welcome two brothers into our family as well. It was awesome. I was old enough to understand and not be jealous and was really able to enjoy watching them grow. More on them in another post.

We finally settled back in Niceville, FL halfway through my 8th grade year.  After living in Niceville, Wilmore, Cottondale, Pensacola, Orange Beach, Jay, and Mobile, we finally settled back in Niceville. I had had my first “real” girlfriend, I had my first kiss, and my first broken heart.

More on that in…another post!

(to be continued…)

Ok, so last night Libby and I tweeted this…

Just won a wedding planner and a wedding dress!!! Awesome!!!!

…and…

@lsgagle6 and I have some big news for tomorrow!  Check out the blog (http://blog.jhgagle.com) in the morning to read about it!

So here’s the deal.  Few people have known us long enough to really know where Libby and I come from.  Without telling our whole story, I’ll skip to 2002.  When Libby and I married, we didn’t have the money for an elaborate wedding.  We didn’t have time for a honeymoon.  We chose to have a quick and cheap courthouse marriage.  We didn’t have a honeymoon (in fact, we’ve never had a 1-on-1 vacation together).  We’ve always wanted to have a ceremony with the dress and the cake and the family all around.  Due to deployments, complications, kids and money we have never been able to catch up to our dreams.  We’re finally going to do it.

February 22, 2012

Our 10 year anniversary.  We’re getting married.  The dress.  The cake.  The family.  The registry (hey, it’s our wedding and besides, we didn’t get one the first time!), the (relatively tame) bachelor(ette) parties….  Everything.

Conveniently, Libby won a local contest getting a free wedding planner and HUGE dress discount.  We already know our colors, who we want as photographer.  It’s really gonna happen!

February 22, 2012…put it on your calendar!

Disclaimer: This is part one in a series covering my journey to where I’m at now. This is more for me than it is for you, but you are welcome to read! Some things have never been passed on before, some things have been shared in limited circulation.

Apr 4th, 1982 – July(ish) 1987

I was born on April 4th 1982 to Lynda Elaine Wells and ___. I will not embellish on the blank space there, but I will acknowledge that there is definitely a blank there. Seeing as though this part only covers my first five years, there are limited memories during this time. I lived in Niceville, FL (yes, it IS very nice there, thanks for asking) with my mom and my grandparents, two of the most amazing people I’ve ever known. My uncle Scott lived nearby as well and was around often. My mom and uncle had two siblings, Karen and James, that had died at a young age, one at a month and the other at 1 year I believe. My mom was in college to be an elementary school teacher and drove an hour+ for school. She would leave me little notes and treat bags every day with baseball/football cards and other little treats. I spent my mornings with my grandparents. My grandfather was the most caring, loving man I’ve ever met. More on him in part 2. As I said, my Uncle Scott was around too. He was a “tough guy”. A biker. Long hair, leather, Harley, the whole package. I don’t remember ever hearing a harsh word from him. Looking back, I’m sure they were there, but all I remember was this man who seemed to model himself after my grandfather.

I do have several memories from this time period. I remember “tagging-along” on several dates with my mom and going to an “authentic” Chinese restaurant where we sat on the floor to eat. I remember going to visit some balding, curly-haired guy at this place where they made things out of clay. I can still remember the exact building it was in. I remember going to preschool at then OWJC (has gone through three conversions since then) and eating green eggs and ham with Mrs. Haight. I actually remember trying to escape my crib and my mom hearing me and calling my name. I froze with one leg half over the rail hoping she would forget and I could continue. She didn’t. I remember breakdancing to “Dancing on the Ceiling” and most importantly, I remember playing ping pong against the champion of Bonifay, FL.

Little did I know, this pong wizard’s name was Bruce Gagle…

(to be continued…)

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via web from Jonathan’s posterous

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via web from Jonathan’s posterous