Our love story began with just a swipe.... But this was no ordinary swipe. We didn’t know it, but this swipe would forever change our lives. Shaakira was on the verge of giving up on online dating, just before Josh liked her profile and her 'I love Jesus, but I cuss a little' t-shirt. Shortly thereafter, we connected, staying up talking way past Shaakira’s bedtime because Josh is such a night owl! The endless conversations made the sleepy work days worth it! Shaakira recalled smiling after each conversation, just at the thought of Josh, his love for music and teaching, and his kindness. As the connection grew, we had our first casual date at Buffalo Wild Wings where we talked about the struggles of being die-hard Eagles fans, memories associated with being HBCU grads, and our lives as military kids. When Shaakira first saw Josh in person, she noted, "the way he looked at me, I immediately saw love in his eyes." A successful first date turned into a host of weekly dates. Josh recalled, "through all these dates we weren’t official yet because Shaakira wanted to be sure that she was sure... I told her I’d wait as long as she needed." Shaakira remembers feeling reassured that Josh was in this for real! Fast forward to early morning May 6, 2022 when we professed our love to each other and officially became a couple. Over the last two years, we've experienced quite a few ups and downs of life together, supporting, loving, and caring for each other along the way. Then, the planning began to create a magical moment for Shaakira. On May 11, 2024, the stage was set at the annual musical that Josh directs for his students, and Josh said, "I surprised the love of my life by asking her to be my wife!" In a few months from now, we look forward to walking down the aisle and professing to do life together as husband and wife in front of God, our families, and our closest friends. Here’s to starting "A Whole New World" as Mr. And Mrs. James! Love, Josh & Shaakira