Some couples have fairytale stories about how they met and found each other. I always imagined I’d have a story like that for myself. The truth is, a romantic first encounter wasn’t exactly in the cards for us. I remember back in 2022 when a girl named Anna Goode started following me on Instagram. All I really knew was that she was tall, pretty, and had graduated from Baylor. For several weeks I thought, maybe I should reach out and introduce myself. But as time went on, the thought faded, and I never capitalized on the opportunity. Fast forward to 2025. Reluctantly, I decided to give dating apps a try. A lot of my buddies gave me a hard time, saying, “You really think you’re going to meet your wife on Hinge?” I told them it was a better shot than not being on Hinge. Sure enough, one day the same Anna who followed me on Instagram three years earlier was looking back at me on the app. We matched! This is it! It’s meant to be… Nope. No response from Anna. If you know me, you know that when I really want something, I’m probably going to find a way to make it happen. So I sent Anna a message on Instagram. Again… nothing. One Saturday morning, about 30 days later, I woke up to a text from a random number: “Hi Cole! This is Anna Goode. You messaged me on Instagram a while back — sorry this took so long!” We tried to make plans, but nothing seemed to pan out, and the conversation eventually died. I reluctantly started to write her off. Finally, after three months — and some encouragement from a couple of mutual friends — Anna agreed to go out with me. On February 2, 2025, we had our first date at Mi Cocina in Klyde Warren Park, marking the start of what would become forever. Six months into dating Anna, my mind was made up. I wanted forever to be permanent. I knew my next move was a proposal. If you know Anna, New York City is at the very top of her list of loves. She had a trip planned there around Christmas, and I knew it was my chance. While Anna thought I was at home in bed with the flu, I was actually making my way across the country to surprise her. On December 20, in Central Park, I got down on one knee — and Anna said a resounding yes. With Anna, there has been zero uncertainty. I have never been more sure of a decision in my life, and I know she feels the exact same way. The last year has been more than we could have ever dreamed or prayed for, and we cannot wait to celebrate our forever with all of our favorite people.