About us
William. We met in Nashville, Tennessee, when we were freshmen in college. I came into the office of the insurance agent, and Marie was sitting across the table from me.
Marie. I started working there a week before William came.
William. We had known about each other and were good friends before we started dating. We met on September 1977 and married in October 1980.
Marie. I first met Will's mother, brother, and sister-in-law in Nashville when they came to visit him. It was a nice and long time ago.
We had known about each other and were good friends before we started dating
William. I went to Atlanta to meet Marie's parents. Even before starting to date, almost 40 years ago.
The other day we were talking about how I proposed. We were at home in Atlanta, and I was standing on the top step and I asked Marie if she wanted to marry me. And she started to look at the dates on the calendar.
Marie. I'm practical.
William. Our eldest son recently proposed to a girl. It was romantic, he prepared a surprise, and people were taking photos of them. We have never been romantics.
We had an American wedding, in a small Church with general reception. Marie was in a beautiful long wedding dress, and I was in a gorgeous tuxedo with a bow tie.
About Kazakhstan
Marie. We were already living in Kazakhstan 20 years ago when William was sent here. We arrived in 1996, lived in Almaty for three years. Therefore, we know Kazakhstan well.
The older children were six and eight years old, and the younger daughter was four, so she had not gone to school yet. I was working at the Embassy, and we found a beautiful nanny named Irina. Maybe she's still in Almaty. We're trying to find her, and Rebecca would love to see her again.
The middle son learned to read and write in English, so he went to an international school. And the eldest son already knew English and we sent him to a Russian school. He speaks Russian just like any Kazakhstani.
William. We have warm memories about Almaty, and we lived there for three years it was an amazing time we spent with children.
William. Then, in 1997, I came to Astana. It just became the capital. I came to the opening of the first office, and we rented three apartments, which turned into offices. I even remember the street where the first office of the Embassy was opened — The Delegates. Now it is renamed. Recently I was driving by, and the building is still there.
Marie. I have also been here a couple of times. The Embassy had several projects that I conducted with the ministries. They all moved to the new capital, and I came here for meetings. There was a difference of six or seven months between the first and second visits, but even in such a short time, the changes were significant.
William. The return to Astana in February of this year was a great event. I couldn't imagine what the city looked like now. There was nothing on the place of the Embassy, only one riverbank and the buildings of the old Tselinograd, and steppes on the left side of the city. The only reason people were driving over the bridge was the road to the airport.
It's incredible to see everything that is here now 20 years later.
I am glad that many good restaurants opened. When Marie leaves Kazakhstan because of work, I find new restaurants so I know where we'll go together when she gets back.
Marie. Due to work, I can not be with my husband all the time, and it requires the presence in the United States. I often go to the States, but when I come to Kazakhstan, I work from here. I lead several public relations projects at the State Department around the world.
About family
Marie. We have three children: two sons and a daughter. Sons 30 and 28 years, daughters 26 years. They live in the United States, Virginia.
Marie. Since childhood, we have had a tradition to go into the room early in the morning with cupcakes, sweets and wake up birthday child with congratulations. Even when the kids left for college, we called each other in the morning and congratulated each other. Thanks to modern technology and FaceTime, we have the opportunity to communicate.
William. Wherever we are, studying in another city or on a business trip in another country, we always call each other on birthdays. We still do so.
Since childhood, we have had a tradition to go into the room early in the morning with cupcakes, sweets and wake up birthday child with congratulations
Marie. Another important tradition is Christmas.
William. Christmas is the only and more important holiday to us than Independence Day. We try to celebrate Christmas with the children.
Marie. Sometimes we can't celebrate Christmas on December 25, so we are celebrating it on 26 or 27.
We are looking forward to the children coming to us next summer.
The current state of mind
William. I enjoy my stay in Kazakhstan, and I feel that I get a great experience here. I am happy to be appointed Ambassador to this country. The only thing I wanted was for my wife to be with me longer. We have a lot of things to do together and are always interested in each other.
