Our Story
Question
Zack's Version
Answer
In July of 2020 I moved to San Antonio, Texas to begin a 2.5 year journey to become a Physician Assistant in the busiest season of my life. A few months later, in February of 2021, Anne Marie would take on her own new journey and leave the comfort of Greenville, SC with the desire for a new experience and to grow as a nurse. She accepted a staff position as a pediatric ICU nurse at the Children's Hospital of San Antonio. We both whole heartedly believe that God's hand was involved in our meeting. For me, I had applied to PA school the year prior, and due to paperwork complications, my attendance was delayed a full year. After getting accepted into school, I was scheduled to start in April 2020 but an unforeseen pandemic delayed schooling. Anne Marie had applied and interviewed to numerous Children's hospitals and received multiple job offers, but ultimately accepted the job position in San Antonio. Dating is challenging to begin with, let alone being alone in a new city, therefore we both used a dating app to help ease that challenge. Much to my surprise we matched and Anne Marie agreed to go on a date with me. Our first date entailed going on a walk in the neighborhood behind my apartment. Three years later going on walks is one of our favorite things to do. Approximately a month later, we officially started dating, May 16, 2021. For the next 7 months we scheduled Friday date nights and Sunday morning church together. In December of 2021, I graduated from phase 1 of school and moved to Colorado Springs, CO for phase 2. Anne Marie had always wanted to do travel nursing and was able to start her first contract in February 2022 in Savannah, Ga with her best friend Kendall. For the next 12-14 months Anne Marie would fly to Colorado every 5-6 weeks to spend a long weekend together. Anne Marie spent the next 18 months doing contracts in Savannah, GA, Denver, CO, and Dallas, TX.
Question
Continued
Answer
I graduated from PA school in February of 2023 and moved to Greenville, SC in search of a job. Anne Marie finished her Dallas, TX contract in the summer of 2023 and moved back to Greenville, SC bringing her journey full circle. For the first time in a year and a half, we were back to living in the same city and our hearts couldn't be happier. We spent the summer of 2023 traveling and relearning what it was like to be a "normal" couple. The adventurous heart of Anne Marie still had one more nursing journey left and it would be a big one. This journey would take her to California where she accepted a travel position at Stanford Children's Hospital. For the first time in our relationship, I got to fly to her. In October, I got the opportunity to visit and we planned a trip to Yosemite National Park. A place that was already so dear to my heart to begin with. October 14th, 2023 will always be such a sweet special day to the both of us. As the sun was setting over the valley of Yosemite National Park, I asked Anne Marie Baker, my best friend, to be my wife. My bride to be would go on to finish her final nursing contract in California in February of 2024 and moved back to Greenville to start the engagement season of our life together.