Our story begins in Montclair, New Jersey before the start of our last season playing professionally. I had just driven across the country from California and went to go meet my teammates. When I walked into the room, Brittany immediately got up to introduce herself and gave me a big hug. She offered me a drink and we hung out all night getting to know each other. For a week straight, Brittany would show up at my door every morning with a cup of coffee for me (even though she knew we had our own coffeemaker). We enjoyed an entire summer together playing softball, watching baseball games in suites, going to all-star parties, fishing, Irish bars, Broadway shows, and just about every side street hot dog vendor. We even made a 'toast' with the Statue of Liberty. By the end of summer, we knew we wanted to share every adventure together.
At the end of the 2013 season, we both hung up our cleats for good. We each had to go back to our jobs. Taryne was the assistant coach at California Baptist University and Brittany was the assistant coach at UNC Greensboro. Geographically, we couldn't be further apart, each one of us on a different coast. We went from spending everyday together with our only responsibility being softball, to our separate realities and the real world stresses that come along with everyday life. With that being said, that year apart was very special for us. Being in a long distance relationship allowed us to learn how to communicate because words were pretty much all we had. Dialogue was the center of our relationship and FaceTime calls became our dates. We were able to build a deeper and complex understanding of each other. Sure it was tough, with the time change and demanding schedules of coaching, but we made every second count and truly believe it was instrumental in the development of 'us.' Long distance is what created our foundation to build on. About halfway through our coaching season, we decided that we had done enough talking and needed to make the commitment to be together...without the computer screen between us. Taryne decided to step away from her job and move across the country to North Carolina. After a couple delayed flights, Brittany finally arrived in California (only to realize that Taryne hadn't fully packed...standard). We hopped in the Jetta and made the drive from California to NC, and arrived at our 550 sq ft duplex. Our fist home was modest to say the least, the washer/dryer shared the same room as the stove and refrigerator (which didn't matter to Taryne because she doesn't cook anyway). Our dinners were eaten on the couch with chairs serving as a table, but we didn't care because we were finally together. Looking back, those are some of the most cherished times we shared together. When we had very little, we truly felt like we had it all.
Shortly after the move, Taryne landed a job in marketing and advertising, as Brittany continued to coach at UNCG. Taryne was never too far away from the game though as she was giving lessons every night and helping out with a high school team. At the end of the college season, Brittany decided that she was going to make a career change and follow her dreams of becoming a firefighter. Then the first big phone call came that would move us both to a state we never thought we would live in, Mississippi.
On the way home from lessons late one evening, Taryne called Brittany and told her that she had been asked to take the Ole Miss pitching coach position. So our next chapter took us to Oxford, Mississippi. We packed up Brooks, Charlee, and Cubby and headed to the Deep South. After hesitation of moving to Mississippi and what awaited us, we each found success in our little town of Oxford. Taryne was able to work with the pitchers at Ole Miss and be a part of the magical run they had in making postseason for the first time, hosting a regional for the first time, going to a super regional, and winning a SEC tournament championship. Meanwhile, Brittany fulfilled her dream of becoming a firefighter...but not just her dream, the dream of many females that will follow her legacy, because she became the first female firefighter in the county with the Oxford Fire Department. We grew up in Oxford, Mississippi.
What seemed like another innocent day at the field and at the station, the phone call came. This time, the University of Arizona was calling and wanted us to come back to Tucson. This was the dream job for Taryne and we both knew what was about to happen. Neither one of us expected this phone call to happen so soon, but we were ecstatic to be a part of the Wildcat Family. And once again, we packed up our little family and moved west. Taryne first, with one suitcase (Brittany made her pack another one that morning), and then two weeks later, Brittany drove 23 hours straight with the 3 animals all through the night to make it to Tucson (after packing the rest of our 3 bedroom house). The rest of our stuff arrived a week later in the moving truck. It was a very quick transition but Brittany got a job working with the Green Valley Fire District and we made it back to the Women's College World Series in 2019. Most importantly, Tucson presented the best backdrop for an engagement.
On May 13, 2018, on Selection Sunday, Brittany told Taryne that they were meeting friends for brunch, but instead made a detour to the infamous "A" mountain, a historical spot in Tucson. With some encouragement, Brittany was able to convince Taryne to hike to the middle of the "A." After spending almost a decade in Tucson, Taryne had never been to the "A" so this was something new. Brittany got down on one knee with the most beautiful ring and It was there that we both said "YES!" to spending the rest of our lives together.
We cannot wait to see where this crazy life takes us next, but first we are beyond excited to share our commitment to each other surrounded by loved ones. We never would have been able to write our story, to this point, without the love and support from the special people in our lives. We thank you, we are forever grateful and we hope that you are able to share the beginning of our next chapter with us.