Just before school started, history teacher Bessalee Downing was married to Robert Mendoza, a Chinook mechanic in the National Guard.

After three and a half years together, Mendoza proposed before traveling overseas for deployment. The two married Aug. 1 at Holland Park West, but skipped a honeymoon in order to move into a new house.

The week before school began, Superintendent Debbie Siebert invited staff to her home for the first staff mixer of the year, allowing the newly “Mrs. Mendoza” to introduce her new hubby.

For more information on the beginning of school, check out Breaking in the new guy and Where’s Yoko?.