Some love stories begin exactly where they’re meant to. For the Micelis, that place was a medical-surgical floor at Our Lady of Lourdes.

Barbie had already been working on the unit for about six months when James arrived. 

Originally, he was supposed to orient with a more experienced nurse. But a scheduling change for a friend’s wedding meant Barbie became his preceptor instead.

“I still say I taught him everything he knows,” she laughs.

They spent their shifts laughing their way through long nights, building a friendship that felt easy from the start. The day after Barbie transferred to a different hospital, they started dating. They have been together ever since.

Today, both are registered nurses. James works in the NICU at Ochsner Lafayette General, and Barbie works in Mother Baby. They both work night shift and make it a point to eat “lunch” together at midnight when their schedules line up. Recently, they attended a delivery together for the first time.

“It was so much fun,” Barbie says. “James is an incredible nurse.”

I’m from Minnesota, and James is from New Orleans. Two very different starting points led us to the same place: a home in Sugar Mill Pond.

We both prioritize time at the gym. I love cycle classes, and James is always up to something new. Right now, he’s really into jiu-jitsu.

I love to needlepoint and am learning to play mahjong. We also love going to the park with Vera and James Jr. That’s one of our favorite ways to spend time together.

Our music taste could not be more different. I love EDM, especially John Summit and Disco Lines. James is a big fan of Tool. It makes for an interesting playlist in our house.

We are crazy about Top Chef and watch every episode together. We also like Reacher, The Pitt, and just started Pluribus. Our ideal night is making ice cream in our Ninja Creami and watching our current show together.

Vera is four and plays soccer at her school. She loves her Barbie dolls and participates in the Healthy Kids Running Series here in Youngsville. She is very social. Every time we go to the park, she says we are going to “make new friends.”

James Jr. is two and loves cars, trucks, and reading books. They both know so many of our neighbors by name, which I love.

One of the most unique things about our family is that both James’ mom and my parents live here in Sugar Mill Pond, too. We call them “The G Force.” They help us so much with watching Vera and James Jr., and our children are always with people who love them. Being able to walk to their grandparents’ house is truly an absolute luxury.

Every night at dinner, the four of us go around the table and say our favorite part of the day. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s one of my favorite parts of our routine. We are always surprised by the kids’ answers.

In the summer, we love bringing the kids to the pool. Year-round, we’re at the park or at Rowe and Co. It’s such an easy place to raise children.

We love Central Pizza, Charley G’s, Dumpling Hour, and Nam Wan. At home, I make a fantastic sour cream chicken enchilada recipe, and we love to grill on our patio.

We also love to travel. One of our favorite trips was to Milwaukee for a wedding. We had the best time exploring the food scene and nightlife. We also love to travel to watch baseball games and often plan trips around when and where the Atlanta Braves are playing. We are big Braves fans, along with the Saints and, of course, LSU.

I love how convenient it is to raise children here. We’re always at the park, the pool, Rowe and Co., or the gym. Our kids feel safe and connected, and having our family so close makes this season of life even sweeter.

This stage of life is busy and full, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.