I was nervous…inexplicably so. Sure, I hadn’t seen Brian in almost ten years, but this was just a friendly invite to dinner. It’s nothing more than that, I assured myself. I parked my car in the driveway, took a deep breath, and was preparing to get out of the car when I saw him…walking toward me in the pouring rain, carrying an umbrella big enough for two. It wasn’t exactly Mr. Darcy walking across an English meadow in the early morning mist, but it was pretty close. Brian and I had first met at his cousin’s wedding in Indiana nine years prior. We kept in touch on Facebook, sharing life, music, prayer requests, and updates on school and work. I had scarcely allowed myself to hope that he would ever even consider me. After all, we’d only met once and really knew so little about one another. But when he invited me to dinner at his aunt and uncle’s house, I couldn’t refuse. The laughter and easy conversation over dinner was exactly what it had been all those years ago, but I left dinner uncertain of what, if anything, might come next. Brian kept me guessing but eventually had the boldness to ask, “Can I take you on a long-distance date?” I was reeling. We didn't know what that could even look like, but we knew we wanted to try. And so we began the process of getting to know each other again through many long phone conversations. Brian was serious in his pursuit, checking boxes and asking hard questions. I was scared and hesitant. Was basic compatibility enough? Did we have chemistry? Was our budding romance built on mutual attraction or merely fascination with the ideas we had constructed of one another? I called things off in February, doubts about our relationship looming large in my mind, but Brian was unconvinced. Just one month later, March of 2020 found us both working from home in the midst of the pandemic and a bit at a loss for what life was going to be like in the near future. Brian graciously reached out again, and we reconnected. We started anew the hard work of getting to know each other in unconventional and adventurous ways. In July, we took a summer camping trip, just the two of us (and our two tents), and, lo and behold, were *officially* dating by the end of August. The next year was filled with phone calls, letters, and trips to see each other as often as we could manage. And in July of 2021, we packed up Brian’s 32 years of life in Texas and moved him here to Virginia, just a few streets over from me. There are still moments when we look at each other and ask, smiling, “How did we get here?” To this day, I have no answer but to think that God must have had something to do with a story as crazy (wonderful) as ours.

I was at a loss for how to propose for the longest time. I wanted it to be intimate and meaningful but also wanted to make sure Hannah would be in a joyful mood. Finally, I realized Christmas would be the perfect time to ask for Hannah’s hand. She had already told me if we ever were to have our own family one day, she would always want Christmas morning just to ourselves, so I suggested a *just us* Christmas Eve morning since it was my first holiday season in Virginia, and I knew we would be with Hannah’s family on Christmas morn. Everything was coming together. On the previous Christmas I had offhandedly mentioned we should get matching pajamas, and Hannah said emphatically, “Brian, I am not wearing matching pajamas with you unless we are married.” Noted… I planned a scavenger hunt all around the house for all the little gifts I had for Hannah, eventually leading back to the Christmas Tree where I had hidden matching pajamas under the tree and where I planned to get down on one knee as she opened the pajamas. I learned later that Hannah had suspected the proposal would come on Christmas but assumed it would involve our stockings. So as we finished with our stockings and moved on to gifts under the tree, she assumed her suspicions were wrong and dove into the scavenger hunt around the house. Meanwhile I nervously thought I was being painfully obvious about my intentions as we scurried around the house. Much to my shock, Hannah did not immediately comprehend my playful jest and remained transfixed on the set of pajamas as I attempted to get her attention on one knee. I guess you could say it was a successful surprise. And so it was with some laughter, tears, and fumbled words, we were officially engaged on Christmas morning beside a candlelit Christmas tree.