After seeing a picture of Brandon on Abbi's friend's Instagram, Abbi asked her friend for Brandon's number (we know, not very romantic). Abbi is not one to go and talk to people that she doesn't know, but she felt something different about Brandon. We got to know each other throughout the summer before college over the phone. Before we met, Brandon did not have a close relationship with the Lord, so Abbi’s parents were skeptical about the two of us talking. After months of talking over the phone, we were finally able to hang out in person and Brandon was able to talk to Abbi’s parents about dating her. Brandon went to Boston and Abbi went to Virginia for the first semester of college. We finally went on our first date when Abbi came home for fall break. Second semester, Brandon transferred to Liberty University to grow his relationship with the Lord and with Abbi. He had originally been going to school as an accounting and finance major, but he ended up changing his major as he felt a calling from the Lord to ministry to serve others and tell them about God's love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion for all who fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It has been amazing to see how God has brought us together and we can’t wait to see what he has planned for us in our marriage!

Brandon went to spend the summer of 2024 in Dallas, Texas at a children's ministry camp. He was gone from early May to late July. Abbi was sad that he would be gone all summer long, but she was looking forward to the impending proposal that she and Brandon had talked about. Finally, a few days after Brandon came home, Abbi's family took her to a restaurant near the beach. After dinner, they drove over to take a walk on the beach. Once they parked, Abbi was given a blindfold and to put on. She sat in the car with a blindfold on for a long time as Brandon told her parents he was just "taking it all in." Abbi's car door was opened and she was walked onto the beach. Once she took her blindfold off, she saw Brandon down on one knee and the picnic he had set up for her. Brandon did such a good job at making Abbi feel so loved and special. It was an amazing night except for the fact that Abbi stepped on a bee! Besides that, it was such a romantic, special moment. We can't wait to share the next big moment of our relationship with you all!