Charlie and I have actually known each other for over 10 years! We both went to high school at Forsyth Central in Cumming, Georgia. Our parents actually live 8 minutes from each other! Although we never had a class together, we were always really good friends. I remember Charlie coming over and helping me build a catapult for my AP Physics class. I had no idea what I was doing, so Charlie basically built the whole thing for me. I remember my Dad, who is an engineer, being so impressed with him and really happy because had it not been for Charlie, my dad would have had to spend all weekend building it! I definitely returned the favor to Charlie by helping him build a shelter at the local trout hatchery for his Eagle Scout project our senior year. Jeri and Charlie Sr. actually have a picture of us both working on it together! After high school, I went to Nursing School at the University of North Georgia, and Charlie got his degree in History at Virginia Tech. We stayed touch throughout college and after college even though we have always lived in different states. I would usually have lunch or coffee with Charlie when he would come home to visit his parents!

In the fall of 2017, I decided to quit my long term job at Northside Forsyth in hopes of becoming a traveling ICU nurse. Travel nursing had been something I had always wanted to try, and I saw 2018 as an opportunity to achieve this goal of mine before trying to go back to graduate school. At the time, Charlie was working at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, North Carolina. We got dinner over Thanksgiving break and I told him about my plans to move to California in a few months. Charlie had been craving a change in career for a long time and had always wanted to live on the west coast. I accepted my first traveling assignment in San Diego, California in December 2017 and moved there right after Christmas. When I told Charlie about my big move he was so excited for me! I was texting him at work one night and got this crazy idea to invite him to come with me! At first I thought that he would think this was absolutely crazy (and it was!) and wouldn't actually be interested in coming. He texted me back the next day and asked me if I was serious.... I said, "Yes of course I am serious, are you?" He quit his job the next day and moved out to California in January 2018. We spent 4 months exploring southern California AND..... falling in love! Our 10 year long friendship became a loving relationship and is now becoming a marriage. We both believe that the foundation for a long and happy marriage begins with friendship. We could not be more excited to be spending the rest of our lives with our "best friend!" We spent the year of 2018 exploring San Diego, road tripping up the Pacific Coast Highway, hiking over 200 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, traveling in Milwaukee, and finally deciding to move back to Atlanta. I accepted a permanent position at Piedmont Hospital Atlanta and Charlie began working in management for Starbucks Corporation in the Fall of 2018. We have chosen to build our lives in Atlanta close by to both of our families.

Charlie and I both love outdoor activities and sports! In the spring of 2018, Charlie convinced me to hike over 200 miles with him through the desert of southern California. Backpacking on the Pacific Crest Trail will always be one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences in my life. It was my first backpacking trip, and I was very nervous, but I really wanted to experience something that Charlie loved so much. I ran my first marathon in LA last March. Charlie watched me train for this race the entire time we were in San Diego. After I finished the LA marathon I told Charlie that he should run with me on my next big race! We decided to train together for the Disney World Marathon the next year! Charlie and I had been preparing and training for over 6 months to run the Walt Disney World Marathon in January of 2019. We ran every long run together over the weekends and ran many of our shorter runs together during the week. We went to Orlando in January 2019 to run the race and spent the marathon weekend exploring Harry Potter World and Epcot! We ran the marathon on Sunday January 13th. He ran the entire 26.2 miles with the ring in his back pocket and proposed right after we crossed the finish line! We spent the rest of our vacation enjoying Disney World with our family and celebrating our engagement!