Our Story:
Jolene & Todd first met at Mount Abraham Union High School, it was 7th grade, they were on the Maroon Crew. They were friendly but never really friends, while their parental experiences were very similar, their social lives were quite different.
Todd was cool, he could be found smoking in the boys room and partying with his older brothers. He was a hunter.
Jolene was quiet, she could be found listening to Casey Kasem's top 40, watching network TV and horseback riding. She was going to college.
The last time they saw each other was Project Grad in June of 1995. Jolene left and never looked back.
In 2012 Todd sent a Facebook friend request to Jolene, like any Los Angelan she accepted it without thought. Todd then sent her a DM sharing his gratitude in reconnecting, and his life story in that moment which included being separated from his wife, her idea, and trying to make it work for their two kids. Life went on for them both.
In the fall of 2015, Jolene began considering next steps in career and life. She was offered the use of a private home in Yosemite to get away. The planner that she is, she asked to book it for the following April.; the snowmelt-fed waterfalls are at their best in the spring! She started planning a retreat, which involved inviting friends who were also debating their next steps in life and career.
One morning in December, Jolene woke up and thought, “I should invite Todd, he is likely coming out of his divorce depression and would mix well with the others invited”. That evening, unprompted, she posted a photo of herself with a mug and the caption “Hot Toddy” (It was winter in LA after all). Todd, who had had a few drinks himself that evening, cheekily responded, “Im a Hot Toddy”. She had not heard from him in three years and the coincidence of the thought to invite him and his reaching out seemed a reason to reach back and actually invite him. His response was, he would love to but could not commit as his children came first. In March he followed up, booked his ticket and they began to text, friendly, honestly and occasionally flirtatiously.
Jolene picked Todd up at LAX on April 9th, 2016 after a reception at The G2 Gallery where she was curator and director. They headed to Yosemite the next day, her Birthday. A stop at the grocery on the way to grab the fixings for lunches and beverages led to the discovery that Todd also enjoyed pickle loaf sandwiches, something most people found odd and Jolene lived for. This small detail later coined the phrase “you had me at pickle loaf”.
A number of the folks invited could not make it and the party had been narrowed to four. It was an epic adventure with a hike up the switchbacks to Yosemite Falls. The group of four broke up and it was only Jolene and Todd once they reached the top. Jolene headed through the boulders to the edge of the falls, Todd reluctantly followed and became clearly nervous as she hung at the edge. She looked back without thought encouraging him to follow, he did but with a look of unbridled fear, in this moment she realized he was petrified, but doing it anyway on her encouragement. The spark between them was being ignited. On the fourth night of the trip Todd reached for Jolene and pulled her in. In the moment he grabbed her Jolene felt at home, safe and just knew he was the one.
After 7 days together Todd got up the courage to share his feelings while admitting he could not pursue them as his life was in Vermont with his kids. After a chat, Jolene decided to sell her home, quit her job and move back to Vermont. On April 22nd she gave notice to her employers, put her home on the market and began to put together the plan to move. They spoke for hours everyday via facetime and text message. On June 7th Jolene, her best friend Sheri and her cat Riley set out on a road trip moving her back east to Vermont. She arrived on June 16th 2016. Since they have built the life they have together today amid the many concerns of friends who thought their decision foolish and reckless.