How we began

Daniel and I met when we were 12yrs old.  I was investigating the LDS church, at that time.  My sister, had recently converted and was baptized.  She came home from Florida State and my dad and I attended Sunday meetings with her while she was home.  After that my dad gave me permission to attend activities while the missionaries taught our family, the discussions. The girls in the Beehive class became my friends quickly and Daniel's sister, was the class president.  On one mutual activity we went to her house after playing miniature golf.  Daniel came home from playing with friends and walked through the front door ignoring all us 12 year old girls.  Daniel was a deacon, and he wasn't nice to girls, at all.  I think for a time, I was afraid of him, but I always thought he was cute!
We got older (16yrs old ), matured and we became friends.  I realized most girls had a crush on him, he was taller, and he was nice!  My pride kept me from admitting that I would ever like him, so we became good friends.  He dated other girls and I dated other boys.  We had fun telling each other about those dates,  shopping, watching movies, playing on motorcycles, bike riding, and talking on the phone.
On my Senior year, he encouraged me to go to my Prom and I had made up my mind not to go.  He had gone to a Prom with one of his girlfriends, when he lived in Gainesville.   He tried to convince me to go because he had a great time.  But! I didn't want to ask a boy to a dance!  So, he asked me to my Prom, this changed everything between us, forever.  We went from being friends, to being boyfriend and girlfriend.  This was not something our friends and family approved of, and they all seemed to think it would never work out! I guess you can say we love challenges and find naysayers inspiring! We were married in 1980 and we heard that most of the people that knew us growing up were actually "betting against our marriage lasting"and I love Daniel more every day!!

Olivia and Joseph VanCott

This is a picture of our "entire" family at Olivia's and Joseph's Wedding, November 21, 2008. In this picture Cynthia is pregnant and she and Bradley since welcomed Bryce Bradley to their family.