Our Story
Our story begins back in the fall of 1987. It was truly love at first sight as we caugh each others eyes on the first day of class in Media Technologies at Interlake High School, where Damien was a student-Marie drove over from Newport High School to attend the class. Damien remembers a beautiful young lady walking in like she owned the place, and Marie remembers seeing a shy smile directed her way. We were dating before too long, going to Denny's late night for coffee and nachos, after hours movies at Crossroads Cinema where Damien worked, and day and night visits to local beaches. We exchanged poetry, and letters when we were apart, and love flourished as only teenagers can experience. Marie played basketball and Damien began to play bass in local bands. Unfortunately, as teenagers, things fell apart and for reasons lost over the years, we went our separate ways, but always remembered each other as that one that got away.
Over the next thirty-two years, each of us lived our lives to our fullest.
Marie graduated from Central Washington University and went into the world of Human Resources, working both for small companies and corporate giants. She gave birth to her two boys, Jack and Jasper, and was later married for many years. During that time, she pursued her passion for writing poetry, essays, and memoir. She went back to school for writing and earned her second masters degree. She has been published in many journals and anthologies, and wrote a memoir detailing her journey through being a late discovery adoptee while exploring her bisexuality. Marie discovered a passion and talent for realty, and began a successful career as a real estate agent.
Damien attempted college at Central Washington University, but found in his first year that he wasn't quite ready. He moved to Vermont where he found a passion for snowboarding, which led him around the country during his twenties, following the seasons from beach to mountain, waiting tables to make his way. He settled down in 1998, and was married and raised 4 boys, stepsons Ryan and Christopher, and sons Logan and Canaan. He went back to school and settled into a teaching career that lasted the next twenty years. During this time, Damien continued to pursue his passion for music, and played bass in many Vermont bands.
In 2021 on a whim, Marie reached out and contacted Damien with a message that began, "Hi, I don't know if you remember me, we used to date in high school..." Of course he remembered, and was thrilled to hear from her! Not expecting much more than just catching up and filling each other in on our past thirty plus years, we began to write to each other every day, talking over text, sending pictures, and getting to know each other. Covid hit, and, like the rest of the world we were homebound and spent more and more time getting to know each other. Damien shared with Marie that he had always dreamed of being a writer, and she inspired him to something for her, which turned out to be the first chapter of his first novel. From that day on, we spent every Sunday writing and then reading our creations to each other. Many chapters and scores of poems followed. The old love was rekindling over a three thousand mile distance. Marie took the initiative and flew out to Vermont to visit Damien. That first visit settled it, we were in love all over again. Damien's teaching job kept him from travelling often, so Marie made several visits to Vermont, including one amazing surprise visit, and Damien was able to take one trip to see her in Washington. The decision to be together came easily, and Damien made the leap to move back to the Pacific Northwest so we could begin the next chapter of our life together.
In late August 2021, Damien packed up his life into a single 15' U-Haul, and with an amazing (still socially distant) send off party where he played a final time with his amazing bandmates, we hit the road. Many adventures have followed, including the catching of scores of fish, visiting 20 states together, camping, wonderful meals, and through these adventures and endless happy hours talking, we have become inseparable. Damien proposed one night after a poetry reading, and well, here we are!
A Vermont newspaper wrote
an article about us!