Winter break of 1998 was over and I was back in Columbia. I was on a mission. I needed to get Jennifer Thompson’s number and call her for a date before someone else out there did. I remember being nervous and was hoping that I could talk to her answering machine. I lucked out. “Hi, this message is for Jennifer Thompson. This is Paul Archambeault, and I was wondering if you would like to maybe go out for a bite to eat sometime? You can call me at 442-5796. Thanks, bye.” That was it. Mission accomplished. Now she just needs to remember me!

 When I first met Jennifer I had a girlfriend and she had a boyfriend. It was the fall semester of 1997 and I had heard about her from some new friends I had made in the dormitory. When I was introduced to her, I remember thinking how cute and mysterious she looked. I thought that my friend was very lucky to get to go out with such a cutie! I remember hearing her and her boyfriend walking down the hall of the dorm and sitting up in my chair and flexing my muscles hoping that she might notice me. You know, the studious yet athletic stud that I am. Well anyways, I don’t know if she saw me when they walked by but I don’t think I solved one equation until she was out of earshot.

 “This is Paul. Hi Jenny. Oh, ok. Sure that’s fine, I can come over. Ok I’ll see you Sunday at 6:30.” So she called back, but before I could ‘take charge’, she invited me over for a home-cooked meal...with her and her two roommates. That’s fine. I can handle it. She won’t be as nervous with her friends there. But what about me, I’m nervous as heck!

 The most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me was on February 14^th 1999 my Valentine’s Day present from Jen. She told me she had a surprise for me and that she would be over to my apartment in Columbia. I remember scrambling for ideas to make it a special day. That is when I decided to present to her one big beautiful rose and a framed picture of the two of us. I wanted the first rose to represent a beginning of our relationship and would most likely lead to many more roses in the future. I told her that if she were ever to get a 12th rose from me, that it would come with something special. With that Jen blindfolded me and directed me to her 1993, beat up Toyota Tercel. She drove around town, and drove some more, and some more, and some more. About 45 minutes later she stopped and jumped out of the car, “Wait right there!” A couple of minutes later she came back to the car and led me outside and into a building. As soon as we got through the second door I swore that I smelled ice…hockey type ice! Then she tore off the blindfold. We were in the Jefferson City Ice Arena. All the lights were off and there was a table at center ice with a candle, bottle of chilled Asti champagne and some cheese and crackers. It was awesome. We even got to turn the lights on afterwards and put skates on and shoot the puck around. She’s a keeper!

“Dinner was great, thanks girls.” After our first dinner together I was mixed with feelings of wanting to ask Jenny all sorts of questions and also feelings of not having had enough to eat. We talked about interests and classes and what to do after graduating and before I knew it, it was midnight. Now it was time to ask for another date…nope, no date for me…I get to come over for dinner again. I had to go to Jenny, Lindsey and Patti’s apartment for a home cooked pasta helper meal 4 more times before Jenny finally agreed to go out in public with me. I was ok with that though. We were inseparable for that entire semester.

Jen and I (and Lindsey and Patti) just finished another dinner that would require me to stop by McDonalds on the way home due to a still hungry belly. Jen and I settled down to watch T.V. for a little while. It was the second dinner after our first public date. I decided to test the waters and shoot for a kiss. “May I kiss you?”….”No.”…”Okay…well its getting late. I’ll call you tomorrow.” So I wasn’t all that smooth, but my ego was flattened! I guess she thought it was too fast, maybe she still has feelings for her old boyfriend. Maybe I should find someone that likes to kiss. About Two weeks later…still seeing each other and leaving Jenny’s apartment to go to a late night hockey practice, I remember thinking how great of a friend Jenny has become and how neat it would be if we ended up together as more than just friends. As I was walking to my car from her apartment I hear a door open behind me. It was Jenny. “You forgot something!” she said. ‘Oh no’ I thought, ‘Here it comes, she is going to say that she isn’t interested in computer nerds or something.’ So I kept walking to my car. Jen just kept running toward me with such a refreshing and excited look in her eye. “What did I forget?” I teased. She replied “You’re in trouble mister!” and with that she laid a big ol kiss on me. I didn’t know how to react. She didn’t even ask! But it was a great kiss, and I was a bit weak kneed at hockey practice that night.

With all the memories I have of Jennifer and I, I try to pin down one that is most special to me. I keep coming back to my proposal to her. With the 11th and 12th rose still to come, my proposal started with a big long white box with the last two roses in it. As she opened it up and counted the number of roses in it I got down on my knee. It was in the presence of her whole family since we had just finished putting out all the Christmas decorations. Even though other people were around, there was a moment when I looked into her big brown tear-filled eyes as she looked back into mine and said yes. Time stood still at that moment and my heart went from a raging bull to a calming halt. I felt more peaceful and loved at that moment then any time ever in my life. It is truly the greatest feeling I have ever felt and I get chills up and down my neck when I think about that moment. She wanted to be a part of my life as much as I wanted to be a part of hers. Now today, we get to make it so. We get to join our lives into one with God. We are so blessed to have each other.

JULIE ELLIOTT
JULIE AND I HAVE BEEN THE BEST OF FRIENDS FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. ALL MY MEMORIES WITH JULIE ARE PRICELESS. HER SWEETNESS IS SO INVITING AND HER THOUGHTFULNESS IS ENDLESS. I AM SO THRILLED TO HAVE HER BY MY SIDE ON MY WEDDING DAY AS MY MAID OF HONOR. IN WRITING THIS SUMMARY OF MY BEST FRIEND I REFLECT ON SO MANY PRECIOUS MEMORIES. IT IS VIRTUALY IMPOSSIBLE TO CAPTURE THE MAGNITUDE TO WHICH JULIE HAS INSPIRED ME. SHE IS ALL THAT I ASPIRE TO BE: AS A PERSON, AS A WIFE, AS A MOTHER AND MOST OF ALL A FRIEND. I AM BLESSED BY ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME BY JUST BEING YOU JULIE! I LOVE YOU.

WENDI ROUSSELOT
WENDI AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR OVER 12 YEARS. WE’VE BEEN FROM WASHINGTON D.C., IN JUNIOR HIGH, TO HAWAII TOGETHER FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR TRIP. WHAT A BLAST THESE, AND MANY OTHER, ADVENTURES HAVE BEEN! NOW WE LIVE FAR APART, ALTHOUGH ONE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TELL, BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN WE DON’T SKIP A BEAT. WENDI IS THE TYPE OF PERSON I FEEL YOU CAN SHARE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WITH. SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE EPITOME OF WHAT SWEETNESS AND INNOCENSE MEANS TO ME. I AM HONORED THAT SHE CAN STAND BY ME AS A BEST FRIEND ON MY WEDDING DAY.

KRISTY HALE
KRISTY AND I MET OUR FIRST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE AT SMSU IN ENGLISH CLASS. WE HIT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY. WE’VE BECAME THE BEST OF FRIENDS OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE SHARED MANY MEMORIES TOGETHER. KRISTY HAS SUCH A FUN AND LOVING PERSONALITY IT’S HARD NOT TO BECOME HER BEST FRIEND IMMEDIATELY. KRISTY HAS THE MOST INNER DRIVE OF ANYONE I KNOW. SHE SETS HER MIND TO DO SOMETHING AND SHE ACCOMPLISHES IT. OUR FRIENDSHIP HAS ENDURED THE LONG PHYSICAL DISTANCE BETWEEN US HOWEVER I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING TIME WITH ONE OF MY BESTEST FRIENDS, KRISTY.

LINDSEY SHILLITO
TRANSFERRING TO MU, THE WINTER SEMESTER OF 97’, SCARED OUT OF MY MIND AND WONDERING IF I’D MAKE ANY FRIENDS, LINSDEY WAS THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS. WHILE I WAS UNPACKING AND GETTING SETTLED INTO MY DORM ROOM LINDSEY WAS THE FIRST TO INTRODUCE HERSELF TO ME. WE SPENT THE NEXT 2 ½ YEARS WITH MANY NIGHTS OF STUDYING TOGETHER, TALKING TOGETHER, GOING TO CHURCH TOGETHER AND GROWING CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER. I COULDN’T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER LIFELONG FRIEND. SHE IS SO SUPPORTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL. SHE THINKS OF OTHERS BEFORE HERSELF AND GLADLY GIVES OF HER TIME AND TALENTS. LINSDEY IS A TRUE BLESSING TO ANYONE SHE MEETS.

PATTI HABERBERGER
I DIDN’T MEET PATTI TILL MY SENIOR YEAR AT MIZZOU WHEN PATTI, AND LINDSEY, AND I LIVED TOGETHER. HAVING PATTI IN MY LIFE THROUGH MY LAST YEAR OF COLLEGE DEFINITELY HELPED MAKE IT THE MOST MEMORABLE. I’VE NEVER MEET A MORE CREATIVE, ADVENTURESOME AND OUTGOING PERSON. PATTI’S PERSONALITY CAN MAKE A QUITE EVENING INTO A FUN FILLED NIGHT NOT SOON FORGOTTEN. PATTI’S INFECTIOUS LAUGH AND GENUINE PERSONALITY MAKES ME SMILE INSIDE AND OUT JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, PATTI, FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT FRIEND TO ME.

MATTHEW MUELLER
THERE IS NO OTHER PERSON THAT I WANTED TO BE MY BEST MAN THAN MATTHEW LLOYD MUELLER. WHEN I FIRST MET MATT UP IN MINNESOTA, WE GOT INTO A RATHER SPIRITED WRESTLING MATCH. AFTER WRESTLING AROUND IN FRONT OF OUR 100+ YEAR OLD DORMITORY, WE DUSTED EACH OTHER OFF AND BECAME FRIENDS FOR LIFE. MATT HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY TO MAKE PEOPLE SMILE AND FEEL SPECIAL ABOUT THEMSELVES. HE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT I CAN FEEL COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE AROUND AND KNOW THAT HE FEELS THE SAME WAY ABOUT ME. WE HAVE SHARED MANY ADVENTURES TOGETHER THAT I WILL NOT SOON FORGET. WE’VE HUNTED BOBCATS, SCALED WALLS, HACKED COMPUTER SYSTEMS, PLAYED COUNTLESS TRICKS AND PRANKS ON PEOPLE AND HAVE BOTH UPSET AND CONFUSED SEVERAL PROFESSORS. I’VE ALWAYS ADMIRED MATT’S GENIUS AND HIS ABILITY TO COMPLETELY GIVE OF HIMSELF TO OTHERS. HIS CONSTANT VOLUNTEER WORK AND THOUGHTFULNESS OF OTHERS HAS BEEN A TANGIBLE INSPIRATION FOR ME. I’VE LEARNED FROM MATT TO FOLLOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE WITHOUT REGRET AND EVEN WITH A LITTLE HUMILITY. I’VE ALSO LEARNED FROM MATT THAT 6 PACKETS OF CHOCOLATE MIX WITH 12 OUNCES OF WATER GIVES YOU ONE HECK OF A HEADACHE. WHAT WOULD I DO WITH OUT YOU MATT.

TODD TEKOTTE
DURING THE GRUELING DAYS OF ADVANCED MATHEMATICS, DIGITAL LOGIC, OPERATING SYSTEMS, COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE AND MANY OTHER CHALLENGING YET BORING LECTURE CLASSES, I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE IT THROUGH A BACHELORS OF SCIENCE DEGREE AND BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, “HEY, THAT WAS FUN!” WELL I WAS RIGHT. NON THE LESS, IF I HADN’T MET TODD AT MIZZOU AND SUFFERED THROUGH THE MOST BORING CLASSES WITH HIM I WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE IN SCHOOL TODAY. WITH TODD I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE CURRICULUM WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE AND CONCENTRATE ON THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS: VIDEO GAMES, INTERNET SURFING, SPORTS AND BEING A SMART ASS. AS SCARY AS IT IS, I SEE TODD AS A BROTHER THAT COULD HAVE BEEN. OUR DISAGREEMENTS ALWAYS END IN US BOTH BEING RIGHT. THERE IS NEVER A CHALLENGE THAT IS TURNED DOWN AND NOT TO MENTION A DEFEAT IN SEGA’S NHL HOCKEY UNFORGOTTEN. ADJUSTMENT TO THE REAL WORLD OF WORK AND LIFE CHANGING DECISIONS I’M GLAD I HAVE TODD THERE TO LAUGH AT EVERYTHING I’VE GONE THROUGH, FULLY KNOWING THAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING. THANKS FOR THE FRIENDSHIP TODD.TODD RECENTLY PROPOSED TO HIS BEST FRIEND LISA MEYERS. TODD AND LISA HAVE BEEN GOOD FRIENDS TO JENNY AND I AND WE WISH ALL THE BEST TO TODD AND LISA AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR LIVES TOGETHER.

BEN DAVIS
BEN IS THE EASIEST TO WRITE ABOUT. IF YOU HAVE MET BEN FOR 5 MINUTES, CHANCES ARE YOU KNOW WHO BEN REALLY IS. ALONG WITH GREG SAPP, HAVING BEN AS A ROOMMATE IN COLLEGE WAS A REAL TREAT. I ADMIRE HOW HE TELLS IT HOW IT IS. BEN IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS ANYONE WILL MEET. EVERYONE KNOWS WHEN BEN IS HAPPY, SAD, UPSET OR COMPLACENT. HE DOESN’T HIDE ANYTHING SIMPLY BECAUSE HE DOESN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO HIDE. HE IS A GENTLEMAN IN HIS OWN RIGHT AND I STRIVE TO EMULATE HIS HARD WORK ETHIC AND ABILITY TO TREAT EVERY FRIEND HE HAS LIKE THEY WERE HIS BEST FRIEND. I’VE ENJOYED ALL THE FUN WE’VE HAD AT SCHOOL AND ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO VISITS WITH HIM. BEN IS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE I KNOW THAT TALKS THE BIG TALK AND ACTUALLY WALKS IT. THANK YOU, BEN, FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE WITH A HELPING HAND. I HAVE TAKEN FROM YOU SOME KEY PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT HAVE HELPED ME BECOME A MORE MATURE MAN.

GREG SAPP
GREG. THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP. GREG, TO ME, IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF BEN. BEING MY OTHER COLLEGE ROOMMATE, GREG KEPT BEN AND ME IN CHECK. MANY PEOPLE KNOW GREG AS A MAN OF FEW WORDS. THIS IS TRUE TO SOME EXTENT. WHEN GREG SPEAKS, IT IS NORMALLY SOMETHING CLEVERLY FUNNY. BEN AND I HAPPEN TO KNOW GREG A BIT MORE THAN THAT. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PILLAR OF HUMOR BUT ALSO OF SOUND FRIENDSHIP. NOBODY IS EVER MAD AT GREG. HOW CAN NO ONE EVER BE MAD AT SOMEONE ELSE. I’VE LEARNED QUICKLY THAT GREG HAS FIGURED PEOPLE OUT WITHOUT EVEN MEETING HARDLY ANY OF THEM. DON’T ARGUE WITH PEOPLE IF IT DOESN’T AFFECT YOU, AND THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK. SOUNDS SIMPLE BUT GREG HAS MASTERED IT. I TRY TO DO IT, BUT I’VE DETERMINED THAT IT IS A GOD GIVEN GIFT. I’VE ALWAYS FELT COMFORTABLE AROUND GREG. ALL THE WILD PARTIES AND CRAZY FRIENDS I’VE HAD IN THE PAST DO NOT COMPARE TO A RELAXING EVENING OF POOL OR TELEVISION WITH GREG. THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE THAT I ENJOY HANGING OUT WITH MORE THAN GREG. GREG IS CURRENTLY ATTAINING HIS MASTERS IN BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION AT MU. GOOD LUCK GREG, WE KNOW YOU’LL BE SUCCESSFUL NO MATTER WHERE YOU END UP.

JOSH OLSON
NO ONE CAN TALK ABOUT JOSH OLSON IN ONE PARAGRAPH AND CAPTURE THE BREADTH OF WHO HE IS AND WHAT KIND OF FRIEND HE HAS BEEN TO ME. AS A PERSON, JOSH IS SOMEONE THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO BE FRIENDS WITH. HE IS AN OUTGOING AND DYNAMIC PERSON. TO ME JOSH HAS BEEN MORE THAN JUST A GOOD FRIEND FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. JOSH BECAME A CO-WORKER WITH SOME BRILLIANT GIFTS: HARD WORK, ENTHUSIASM, HUMOR, INTELLIGENCE AND CHARISMA. HE RISES TO EVERY CHALLENGE PUT BEFORE HIM AND MEETS AND EXCEEDS IT WITH EASE. IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS

We would like to extend a special thanks to the following people for making this day such a wonderful experience.

Penny Anderson: Thank you so much for your hard work. Penny made the lovely cake, the beautiful bridesmaids dresses and has had great coordination advice and direction.

Mom and Dad Archambeault: Paul and Kathy have been so incredibly supportive. Always knowing there is someone there to help is the greatest feeling. Thank you so much for all your love and help during our engagement.

Mom and Dad Thompson: Steve and Bonnie have been so incredibly helpful to both of us. Their unconditional support and understanding has been a blessing to both of our lives and our relationship.

Father Chris Holtman: Father Chris has not only been a great spiritual leader for us, but also an irreplaceable friend. We both want Chris to know how much we love him and are so happy to have such a wonderful mentor. Thank you for all you have done during our preparation to be wed.

Sarah Modde, Scott Thompson, Mark Archambeault and Adam Archambeault: Our brothers and sister! You guys mean so much to Jennifer and Paul. Sarah could not have been a better sister to us! Her constant checking of seeing what she could do for us has been so incredibly wonderful. Scott has been such a wonder friend to Paul, such that it is as if he has been a brother all along. Scott was a pillar of strength for Jennifer by living in St. Louis and watching over her. You have been such a wonderful example of stability. We wish Mark could have been in town more, but when he was we always looked forward to his refreshing humor. Adam is such a wonderful young man. His willingness to mow our lawn and help out in any way he can is a sign of his maturity and brotherhood. We are so blessed to have such a core of love and support in our brothers and sister. Thank you guys.

Our Friends: Jennifer and Paul have the greatest group of friends. We draw happiness and strength from these individuals. If we could, we would have all of our friends stand up next to us during our special day. Our life has been molded by the friendships we have. We recognize the values that we hold and the life that we live is a direct reflection of those we look to in times of need and times of celebration. These people are the support system in our lives. We only hope that we are able to express to our friends how much we value them for who they are and what they have meant to us in various aspects of our life.

Matt Mueller: Holy cow Matt. He didn’t have to but he took a weeks vacation and helped us prepare for this event. What a pal. Couldn’t have stayed sane without you.