Darrel & Denise Christenson
Darrel Christenson, vice president of Community Integration, Ability360; Denise Christenson, retired
Homebase: Phoenix
How did your love story begin? Denise: Our love story begins at our HOA monthly meeting where Darrel and I both served on the board. For almost a year of meetings we only greeted each other when attending the meetings, making no other attempt to know each other. Then, one fateful night as the meeting concluded and I was completing the minutes taken, Darrel stops behind my chair and speaks quietly over my shoulder, “I like your hair.” I thought that odd but that very action Darrel so boldly took led to us becoming travel buddies and dancing partners. And as they say, the rest is history.
Favorite thing about one another: Denise: One of my favorite things about Darrel is his Christ-based faith which shines through our marriage with his love for me and how he makes me feel safe and secure in our world. Also, I love Darrel’s passion for his position with Ability 360 in helping people with disabilities for which he also walks on that path.
Darrel: There are so many things that I admire about Denise. First and foremost, is her love for God in her life, followed by her warm, loving heart and her sense of humor. She can say something or look a certain way and I start laughing. Together, we can be silly (or stupid) like kids and laugh with each other. Laughter sure makes life better with a loving partner and my best friend!
Favorite date night: Denise: Darrel and I share the love for live theater and enjoy seeing the Broadway plays that come to the ASU Gammage. Additionally, the theater passion expands to us being usher volunteers for Gammage so our date nights can expand in seeing many performances of the same play. Our favorite production was Hamilton to which we ushered eight performances.
Darrel: Recently we have been enjoying Pizza Thursdays and usually stay home, enjoy pizza, watch some TV and curl up with each other. Nothing glamorous, but something very special for both of us.
Favorite tradition you have as a couple: In regards to traditions, we travel to see our families annually. We celebrate Thanksgiving in Tucson with my son and his wife and their Tucson family that are included. In the summer, we spend time in Rochester, MN, with all of Darrel’s family. Our families are everything to us.
What does your happily ever after look like? Denise: My dreams for our ever after is continuing our travels abroad. We are blessed in traveling to Europe numerous times besides New Zealand and Australia. Our upcoming trip this September is to Budapest, Prague and Vienna. My future goals for us as a couple is to let our love for people show through our actions and make our lives count. Showing kindness and favor to the people who cross our paths help make Darrel and I realize what deep love is and how we have it for each other.
Darrel: Truthfully, I feel we are currently living our happily ever after. We each have experienced previous marriages, have learned from them and now are better versions of ourselves than ever before. I was born without my right arm and am totally blind in my right eye, also from birth. Denise does not have a disability. We totally accept each other for the person we are, without judgment nor trying to “fix the other person.” We have a loving home, meaningful work and activities, health and more blessings from Him than we could ever imagine or deserve.