Our Story
The Bride
A lil about the Bride
Born and raised in Edmonton, Ab, Canada she is the oldest of Roberto and Rita Reyes' three children. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 2000 with her BScN. She worked in Edmonton for a year follwing graduating but then decided to move to Vancouver BC to enjoy the water, mountains and not to mention to follow her BFF and sister, Dix and Maibel.
During her nursing career in Vancouver, she had ambitions in being a Travel Nurse and travel across the States until she was ready to settle down. She completed all the requirements and was able to start her Travel career in Seattle Wa. Enjoying her career and single life she was having the time of her life! With intentions of working in Seattle for a year and then down to Florida the following year. She never thought that she would meet her future husband in Vancouver!
She has since been living in Washington State since July 2004. Working as a 'Local' travel nurse from Seattle to Tacoma then back to Seattle. Currently, living in the little Navy town, Oak Harbor,WA she still visits Vancouver often and has future plans on settling down in Vancouver to raise their family once Rodney retires from the US Navy.
Some of Teresas interests include, spending time with friends and family, surfin the net, reading, visiting Vancouver to spend time with her Godson, camping and having a good bottle of wine...ok maybe two!
A lil about Rodney
Lil about Rodney
Plant City, Florida is where this story begins. Rodney CaNard Cooper is the second of four brothers from Mr and Mrs Carlton and Shirley Cooper. He Graduated from Plant City Sr High school in 1990 and the following year after he attended a trade school for Commercial Art. Shortly after, he decided to join the US Navy in Dec of 1992. After graduating from Basic training in 1993 in Orlando, Fl, he was shipped over to Southwest Asia to join his first naval command already deployed on the USS Nimitz CVN-68. While serving overseas he has been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Bahrain, Greece, Spain, England, Guam, Hawaii and just rencently Curacao.
After his first 4 year tour based out in Bremerton, WA, his next destination was Norfolk, VA. Where for the next 3 years he would serve as a contractor for Aviation Logistics. Upon completing his tour in Norfolk he headed back to the Northwest in 1999 till present time.
He met Teresa during his time stationed in Oak Harbor in 2004. He believes that his bride is the love of his life and would not change a thing from the first time he met her out in Vancouver.
He has two children Teysha and Rodney CaNard Cooper Jr. Currently he resides in Oak Harbor, Wa serving his 15th year in the Navy. In five years, Rodney plans to retire from the Navy, relocate to Vancouver to raise their family.
Some of Rodneys interests include, Bowling, camping (and YES black people do camp), spending time with good friends, and spending quiet times at home.
How we met
There is always two sides to a story
I had given my number to this 'guy' that I had met in the club. Ya know just one of them casual 'let me get your number, we can talk and get to know' each other encounters. I had really no intentions of pursuing anything serious and since he was from the States and everyone on this side of the border knew the 'Fellas'. I think later on that week there was a Carribean Festival in N. Van and I had seen him there and met a few of the 'fellas'. There was this one dude that kinda stuck out, not because he had swept me off my feet or that he was drop dead gorgeous,haha, but because he was drunk as a skunk!!
At the time I really didn't think anything of it up until the following week, when this 'guy' called me up and I was on my way down to Seattle for one of our many weekend excursions. I had told him to call me next week since I will be in Seattle this weekend. Then my cell rings again from the same number. I was like "hummmm, didn't I just tell this 'guy' to call me next week or sumthing?!" I answer and on the other end was Coop. It was a little weird since his 'guy' just called me and now HE is?! We make arrangements to meet up once I head back up to Canada and I guess you can say it all started from then!
Being in the Navy, Coop had to leave for Japan shortly after we had met. I think it was a week after we had met I headed down to Oak Harbor and we had gone on our first date. He took me to Outback in Burlington and the following day he left for Japan. I really wasn't counting on us working and hitting it off so well since he was in the Navy and the fact that he had to leave to soon after we had met. We had kept in touch for those 4 months. Emails, phone calls and a few drunk dials! The day he got back from Japan he headed up North to see me but it most definately was an eventful 24hrs! Lets just say it involved the cops, the drunk tank, and hand cuffs!!
We'll end the story there...and the rest is what they say..is history!
Well first my homies and I of course ventured to Vancouver for the weekend for the Carribean Festival. That day we all had been drinking and it was extra hot outside. So you know that I was not on my best dressed day. So we arrived at the festival and we ran into a mutual friend at the time and Teresa was with her. I really did not pay her any attention because for one, I was trying to find some shade to get out of the sun and besides I looked like I got dressed in the dark.
But my friend 'GUY' aka Lawrence asked for Teresa's number and that was that until later that night we seen them in the club good 'ol Daddyos. If I can recall I think we danced like one time and that was it for that night.
I think it was not until later when the fellas came up to Vancouver again and somehow I ended up getting the number from Guy and I called her and we sort of went from there. It was pretty bad timing because I was getting ready to leave for Japan really soon. So she came to Oak harbor the day before I left for Japan and went on a date to Outback Steakhouse in Mt.Vernon. Conversation was great but I think she didnt want me to really see her eat so she just ordered something simple from the menu. So after eating we drove back to my friends', Rich, house where I was staying before leaving for Japan. We watched "Dave Chapelle's" first stand up disc and also "Tears under the sun".
Next morning we got up and I finished packing and we said our goodbyes for the time being and I flew to Japan for 4 months. We kept in touch while I was gone and just before I got back we officially became a couple. I would write about what happened once I returned to the states but let me tell ya that was a long night and no i'm not talking about relations! If you would like to know what happened just ask me when in person, it's hilarious!
