I moved to Nicaragua in February 2015 to begin working at the Emmanuel Home of Protection. Leslie was working as the driver there at the time and I ended up riding with him in the afternoons to pick up the girls. My Spanish was still in progress and I had NO idea how to start a conversation, but I was tired of riding in silence. One day we starting talking on our rides and somehow he convinced me to go on a motorcycle ride date. We had lots of fun, but after one more date, I said "let's be friends," and he said, "fine with me, I'm very patient." Turns out, he was right and after a few years of everyone else being sure we were perfect together, we finally agreed and started dating in 2018, just as Leslie was moving from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. A year and a half of long-distance + 13 verrrrry long months apart, thanks to the pandemic, we were finally reunited in March when I moved to Costa Rica to begin serving with OM. I was ready right then for him to put a ring on it, but he insisted he had a plan and that now, I was the one who needed to be patient. He did in fact have a plan and asked me to marry him while my mom and Heysell were visiting in late June. There is so much more that has happened in the spaces in-between. A story of redemption, God's grace, and so much growth for us both. We are thrilled to get to share this next chapter with you and can't wait to celebrate with you in Costa Rica!