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Opposites Attract in Landis Lakes! BYTAYLORJARBOE I PHOTOS BY JAMIE BOND

Ray have been living in Landis Lakes for twelve years now, living on the main street in the subdivision starting in 2005. They enjoyed the neighborhood so much that when Michelle became pregnant with their fourth child in 2011, they moved to a new house on a court where they would have more breathing room for their full house: one teenager, three children, one dog, one cat, and Michelle and Jonathan.

Michelle and Jonathan met at a University of Louisville basketball game at Freedom Hall. They were introduced to each other by a mutual friend and started seeing each other in gatherings with their friends at various restaurants and social events. It's often said that opposites attract, and in their case, Michelle and Jonathan have a respect and understanding of their differences. Michelle was attracted to Jonathan's laid back, easygoing, relaxed approach to life. He was reserved, didn't have the need to fill empty spaces with small talk, and was just comfortable in his own skin. Jonathan liked the fact that Michelle was more extroverted, the talker, the plan maker, all of which led to their first date at Azaela's, which led to their marriage two years later.

Michelle grew up in Shepherdsville, where her parents still live in the house in which she and her older sister were born and raised. She graduated from Bullitt Central High School in 1995 where she played soccer and was involved in numerous clubs and activities such as FBLA and Beta Club. She attended the University of Louisville where she was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority. She graduated in 1998 with a BA in Communications and began her working career as an account executive at the Courier-Journal right out of college. From there she went on to work as a sales rep for Personnel Management Inc., a staffing company. She later worked in sales and marketing for Carstation.com during the big Dot-com rush in the late 90's. Since starting a family she has remained at home where she now works for her kids!

Jonathan grew up in Bowling Green where his parents and sister still live. He graduated from Greenwood High School in 1992. He was a member of the golf team and participated in several clubs and activities while there. He graduated from

Western Kentucky University in 1996 with a degree in chemistry and he went on to the University of Louisville medical school, where he graduated in 2000, specializing in Internal Medicine. Today he works at Baptist Health as a hospitalist, providing specialized care for patients while they are hospitalized.

Michelle and Jonathan are huge U of L basketball and football fans, and they enjoy season tickets for U of L basketball games. When Jonathan gets a chance to wind down, which is rare, he loves playing golf, particularly at Valhalla where he is a member. Michelle, on the other hand,

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has her own interests. She loves reading, taking classes at the YMCA in Middletown, power walking in the neighborhood, and volunteering at Christian Academy.

Michelle and Jonathan have four children: Grace, Haley, Riley, and Brady. All will

be attending Christian Academy of Louisville this year. At 15, Grace is the oldest. She will be a sophomore this fall. She is an excellent student, and plays on the field hockey team. Outside of school she enjoys playing the guitar, loves hanging out with her friends, and like a typical teenager, prefers hanging out in her own room, though she hasn't completely forgotten where the family room is! Haley, 12, will start Middle School at CAL this year where she will be in the 6th grade, and plays both field hockey and lacrosse. Riley, 10, will be in the fifth grade and plays field hockey as well. Brady will be in kindergarten and is currently playing tee ball for Lyndon. He has just finished taking karate classes and is now learning what he can demolish and what he can't. All of the kids enjoy the outdoors, riding bikes and swimming in the pool during the summer. The Rays are certainly an outside family and are happiest in the backyard grilling while the kids are jumping on the trampoline.

The Ray family has a couple of pets to complement their full house. Boomer, their Burnese Mountain dog, is 3 and shares the same birthday with Brady. Boomer is the first dog that Michelle has ever had in her life, and they recently welcomed a kitten, Olive, to their family. Olive and Boomer have learned to get along for the most part. Olive no longer sends out the

warning hiss, but when Boomer gets too close, Olive playfully bats at her with her front paws, an amusing sight for the whole family, except maybe for Boomer.

The Rays love living in Landis Lakes. The neighborhood is comparatively small, and doesn't have the clubs and activities that some of the larger communities have. It is, however, within walking distance of Wild Eggs, Bearno's, and Fiesta Time, and with kiddos who are hungry all the time, that's just as good as a swim or golf club. A major advantage for the neighborhood is that the kids can walk home from school, a huge plus for a Mom who sometimes is supposed to be in four places at once.

The Rays are members of the Lone Hill United Baptist Church. Michelle has attended Lone Hill since she was a baby, and it's worth driving across town to attend, as that is the Church she calls "home."

There comes a time in every family's year when they all need a vacation. The Ray family has been going to Hilton Head or Destin for the last fifteen years, but this year the family is going to the Isle of Palm in Charleston, SC. The history of the area has fascinated Michelle and now that Brady is a little older, they're hoping Brady will be able to tolerate the sightseeing.

The Ray family has learned to look for the bright side of each day. Play outside, read, or just simply relax. The chores can wait!

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