I met Jackson at a marketing meeting while interning for Gearhead Outfitters. He was fresh off the Appalachian Trail and I was a college student soaking up my time working with an outdoor company. We set a time to meet out at Craighead Forest so I could shoot a video of him for an event explaining his upcoming trek on the Ozark Highlands Trail. He tripped over his words and cursed a lot. When Gearhead decided to open up an outlet store, I texted Jackson and practically begged him to hire me.
By the time summer rolled around, he was Little Rock bound to manage a one of the two stores there. I had asked to work at a store there since I’d be spending my summer with my dad in Conway. Jackson told me I should come work with him and I suspected nothing more than friendship.
Group outings and a lot of time together working on the floor made me more and more fond of the man who always had a joke, was always ready to bust a move, and had the kind of work ethic that reminded me of my daddy. Jackson made comments about taking me on a date. He invited me to Springfield to scout his future apartment, and once he ran 9 miles with me on a hot summer evening… I still didn’t realize he liked me. Before his final leave for Springfield, he said to me, “I’m serious about wanting to date you.” I said, “I know.” As if I had known all along.
Since that day, we went from long distance to spending nearly every minute together to striking a balance. We adopted the third member of our family, Kona. We’ve lived in three different cities in three different states.
We’ve traveled this country and across the globe. We’ve opened stores and built teams. We’ve logged many miles: in the car and on our feet. We’ve walked up literal mountains and metaphorical ones.
In 2019, we took a great big leap into the unknown: we quit our jobs and moved back to Arkansas to pursue our dreams. The uncertainty was frightening, but as we landed on our feet and began to run, me in a new job and him working to start a new business with friends, I realized that no matter what hills we climb, what valleys we slog through, what rocky trails we tread, what beautiful meadows we bask in, or what what mountaintops we stand upon: I want this guy by my side for all of it.
2020 was already going to be a big year for us. We moved into our house, we were supposed to marry on May 2, and Jackson’s business was supposed to open.
Everyone knows 2020 had a few curve balls to throw – one in particular, the pandemic that threw so many people for a loop. We rescheduled our wedding day for October 10 and the pandemic slowed progress on Jackson’s business venture, Native Brew Works. But still, we walked together.
Instead of what we had envisioned for 2020, our trail led us to new views we hadn’t previously considered.
We added to our family the very same week that we would have got married by adopting Mira. We bought a building on the same street where the brewery is located, and we began dreaming big for what it could add to our community.
We were still able to move into our house and in a time where staying home is highly encouraged, I am grateful to spend so much time in this beautiful space designed around our own preferences. We still got married, and though the rain poured down on a day I had hoped to stand outside, I added a comment about weather forecasts to this line in my vows:
“As we walk this trail of life together, one that is most certain to be steep, rocky, treacherous and beautiful – and with almost a 100% chance of rain – I promise to walk with you through it all.”
Let the rain come, but I will continue to walk with you Jackson Spencer. Because you make the rain more bearable and the sunshine more beautiful. Here’s to continuing to walk together, build together, challenge each other and grow together: rain or shine.
