We're getting married!

Our story started at Lowe’s — not exactly where you’d expect a love story to begin. We were just two people doing our jobs, total strangers, or so we thought. At first, I wasn’t interested in a relationship at all. James, though, knew from the start that he wanted more than just a friendship. But he was patient and respected where I was in life, so we stayed close as friends. For eight months, we just talked and got to know each other — no pressure. Then, one day, I felt ready to see where things could go. We went on a date, and when I told my mom about James, she asked his last name. When I told her it was “Mann,” she was floored. Turns out, she went to high school with his dad, and his dad was saved at my grandfather’s old church. Even crazier, James had been friends with my cousin in middle school. All this time, we had unknowingly been circling each other’s lives. It felt like too many pieces were lining up for it to just be coincidence. What really stood out to me about James was how different he was. He was kind, hardworking, and always the first to step up when someone needed help. He saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself, he saw the gold. When I didn't feel it he reminded me that I was worth more. Fast forward to last year, we had a serious conversation about marriage and how we both felt about it. I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. We decided we’d talk about it again later in the year. But James knew. He had prayed about it, and he felt it was the right time. Without me knowing, he bought a ring in the spring. Meanwhile, God was working on me. I started having dreams about being married and felt more at ease with the idea of it. But I had no idea he had the ring — he’d never mentioned it again, and we hadn’t revisited the topic. Later that year, we went on a trip to Florida with some close friends. I had thought we planned the trip for the sole purpose of hanging out with friends, so when James asked if I wanted to sneak away for a date night, I was a bit reluctant. But after some convincing, I agreed. We ended up having dinner at a beachfront restaurant, right at sunset. Then, we went for a walk on the beach, and that’s when he got down on one knee. It was the most surreal and beautiful moment of my life. God is so good and his timing is perfect. We are both so excited to start this next chapter together, and we cannot wait to celebrate with you all!