It's Pictures Like This Where I Fall in Love All Over Again

Here's a picture of us at a rodeo earlier this year. I had just moved out to El Paso and Echo was visiting for the first time. She looks so good, I just had to add it.

Virginia is NOT for Lovers

So our plan was to get married in Virginia and to have our good friend Judge Cardone, for whom I am currently clerking in El Paso, perform the ceremony. . . .

Not going to happen.

Our dear state legislators in their infinite wisdom have decided that out-of-state federal judges are forbidden from performing the wedding ceremonies within the Commonwealth while local clergy still can. See Va. Code Ann. § 20-25.

In other words, Brother Maynard from the local Church of the Holy Hand Grenade can get a dispensation from a nearby Circuit Court if he can show that he's lived in town for a while, but a United States District Judge from out of the state cannot.

Regardless, plans are moving forward. May 18 looks like the date for now, though we don't know for sure where yet. We may have to ask another judge, or we may be going to Maryland. See Md. Code, Family Law § 2-406. Things seem a little less insane there.

We will keep everyone posted!

Us

So, this is us. Echo and Jesse. I am the lucky guy who proposed to this beautiful woman on Friday, November 23, 2007.

She said yes.

I'm hoping this site will be a journal of our future together.