taylor family
We met in 2005. I was a single mom of a very feral child. He was going through a divorce. Before we met I would make fun of people who met online. It seemed so weird to not just meet someone face to face. I am a pretty social person.
My neighbor and friend told me about a website she used to meet people. I figured what the heck. It wasn’t easy to go out as much with a young child. And his best friends neighbor kid told him about this cool site called (dating myself I know) MySpace.
One day I got a message from this guy asking if I thought the fireworks and parade were for me growing up for my birthday. Well not missing an opportunity to make something about me I replied “You mean they’re not?” Being a July 4th baby I thought that is a weird question to ask. Only my mom used to tease me about that. I checked his profile and sure enough the was also a July 4th baby!
I don’t know if it’s astrology or if we share a birthday or what. But the amount of things that we like, and agree on it sometimes creepy. From food to hobbies I have never met someone that I connected with so much before.
Anyone that knows me knows I like to smile and laugh and I have been smiling bigger the last 18 years and laughing even more.
This October we will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. I figured the 3 of us would be enough to enjoy life. He had helped me raise my feral son into a manageable human. They had a lot of fun together. But when we got married and I saw how much he loves kids and how good he is with them. I knew he I wanted to expand our family. He is an amazing father.
So in 2009 we had our daughter. And honestly it completed our world. We are both so proud of the incredible humans they are. Anthony is the hardest working person I have ever met in my life. He somehow manages his insane work schedule and still makes sure he makes it to just about every sporting event the kids were/are into. I love that he is very goal driven. He always has some crazy idea that I am ready to follow him on.
We have always enjoyed going out to the woods to go 4 Wheelin. That’s the first adventure we would do together. Dirt, mud, dust, rain or snow. It doesn’t matter. Then a couple years ago a friend invited us to go to Idaho for a winter challenge. It’s not really a race but 100% a challenge. Sometimes just getting there and back is a challenge. And then he decided to step it up a notch.
About a year ago he tells us he wants to race in King of the Hammers. It’s the hardest off-road race in North America. So we got an Ultra 4 race Jeep. And even though he didn’t finish he was still able to drive it into the trailer to make the long journey home from Johnson Valley California. For some insane reason he wants to go do it again.
We try and make sure that our kids enjoy the outdoors. We bought them junk cars to just drive around our property. Our daughter has been riding quads since she was 3. We bought her her first 4x4 when she was 9. She and our son has taken it and our Jeep out to Tahuya.
We feel like the horse power keeps us stronger as a family. There was a time when we were both so alone in this world. And while we sit on a lonely road today. We are far from lonely now that we have each other. I would literally follow him anywhere he goes no matter how crazy the idea. He is definitely my best friend and my favorite adventure partner
- vanessa
