We met as college undergrads both studying archaeology.  After college graduation and a few years of being professional archaeologists, we decided we wanted to attend graduate school; Chris for Geography, Mitzy for Geology.  We were married in a small ceremony, in the forest surrounded by our friends and family.   We are now both geography professors. 

Education brought us together, keeps us exploring, and we both love learning.  We value family, good friends, nature, and outdoor activities like camping, canoeing, traveling, and conducting research for our various scientific studies together.  Our travel and research have taken us to many places that we love to share as a family.  We have always treated each challenge as the next adventure.  We are each other’s better half and best friends. 

Mitzy and I make a great team.  I provide the ideas; Mitzy plans and provides that extra ounce of motivation making them a reality.   She is a Geography Professor and the Director of Environmental Studies.  Among her several hobbies are gardening, sewing, and camping.  Being outside is essential in her life. She loves sharing her passion for the natural world with our daughter Matilda and her students.  Mitzy is a wonderful and very active mother. 

A unique attribute Mitzy has is her drive to succeed, not for the approval of others, but to satisfy her own internal spirit.  My wife is supportive, nurturing, family oriented with many lifetime friends. Mitzy is very passionate, gregarious, and intellectual.  All qualities I love and keep our friendship and love for each other fresh and lasting.

My husband is my best friend.  Chris is my extra ounce of courage, always respectful and supporting my decisions.  His sense of humor and his intelligence are what attracted me to him.  A little quirky, unorthodox, and unconventional; Chris has an unusual way of looking at things, which is one of the many qualities that makes him such a wonderful person and why I love him. 

Chris is imaginative and spontaneous, and loves sharing his knowledge with others as a Geography Professor.  Chris is also a musician playing bass guitar whenever he can.  Chris is a very good husband and is a fantastic, caring father! 

Matilda is four years old; she is our intelligent, confident, and feisty little spit-fire and we love every ounce of her wild spirit!  She loves our family adventures and is especially fond of children's museums and science centers, which we visit wherever we travel.  She is always ready for the next adventure. 

Matilda is adored by all of the grandparents.  She is also adopted and we explain to her that families are made in a variety of different ways.  She is very excited to be a big sister!

We are close with both of our extended families and see them as often as possible.  Chris has one brother, a niece, and a baby nephew.  His parents are actively involved with all the grand kids. 

Mitzy has four sisters, three brothers, three nieces, one nephew, with two more babies on the way.  Her mother is busy traveling to see them all.  It is very fun to get the whole family together!

We have a large historic house with plenty of space to grow and play, and a big fenced yard with gardens, swings, a sandbox, and a playhouse.  Our home is set in a safe, small, quiet neighborhood.  We have neighborhood picnics and kids are playing outside all the time.  Our dog Lilly hikes with us and watches over kids with great care; we also have a new energetic kitten named Stella.