Charlotte and Rick met when Charlotte was the site director at an afterschool program in SE Portland, and Rick was an afterschool teacher! They bonded over swapping puzzles and bad jokes, and one thing led to another... basically it was the most irresponsible and best choice Charlotte ever made. After 3 months of clandestine dating, beach trips with friends (see picture), puzzles, shows and getting to know one another, work wrapped up and they were free to share all their happiness with everyone!
That summer, Rick was busy starting grad school, but Charlotte and Rick still found the time to sneak out to street fairs, go to the beach, and snuggle up with cats together. Charlotte also got to see her good friend Lissa get married at Mt. Hood Skibowl, and decided it was one of the most fun weddings she'd been to! (Rick had weekend classes, unfortunately).
That summer also gave Rick and Char a chance to fly to Fresno to visit Rick's family. It was a wonderful visit, and the beginning of a beautiful relationship between two Charlottes- Rick's partner and Rick's niece, Charli (Charlotte)!
After a fall of adventures in school and relationship-building, Charlotte (and the cats, of course) moved in with Rick in January. Char and Rick celebrated in their own goofy way.
That June, Rick finished grad school and entered the world as a Master Teacher! Charlotte was very proud of him and made him take silly pictures about it.
In July of that summer, Rick's sister Rachel married her husband Tony Lopez! It was a very happy wedding and reception. Rick was an Usher, and Charlotte got to meet and spend some time with Rick's Grandparents.
Before heading back to work in the school year, Rick and Charlotte got a chance to visit Charlotte's cousin Tom in Nome, Alaska! They fished under the 11pm sun, fed the sled dogs, played with little cousin Magda, had a beer at the final stop on the iditarod, and MIGHT have had some ATV adventures (Rick would like to at this point remind his parents that his dad used to own a motorcycle).
Charlotte and Rick went back to Fresno for Thanksgiving, where they spent some time with family, and got an early toast to their future from siblings, in-laws, and out-laws...and Chambongs! (as their slogan states, "Because It's Awesome").
Charlotte and Rick spent the upcoming Christmas at Charlotte's home in New York, where there was also much to toast to- namely, a new nephew on the way! They were grateful to share more time with wonderful siblings, in-laws, and out-laws!
The next January, more celebrating was in order, as Charlotte and Rick, with some much appreciated familial support, were able to purchase their home! They felt terribly lucky and grateful to own their own sweet little spot, and personally take on any damage that cat claws might entail.
On February 24th just after midnight, Rick and Char's sweet new nephew Skylar Yunfeng came bouncing into the world! Charlotte helped in the delivery, and Rick got to facetime the little babe in the next few days. (Picture is from June, when Rick first got to visit!)
After a spring filled with talks of future adventures and plans, Charlotte and Rick were eating Sushi one June evening, and the discussion of the future came up. Suffice it to say that all the puzzle pieces seemed to fall into place, and they giddily ran to the neighborhood wine tasting room to ask for the best $20 bottle of sparkling wine around. They then hurried home to the backyard, and proposed that they spend the rest of their lives with each other. Charlotte had gotten a more durable stone placed in her favorite ring, and it became her engagement ring. It should be noted that about a week later, after Rick had picked out a ring that he loved, Charlotte knelt down next to a dumpster and asked him to marry her. He still said yes the second time.