We’re getting married!

Christopher & Sydney started ‘dating’ on the last day of 5th grade (which meant Sydney asked him to be her boyfriend and he said yes-real complicated stuff). Just to get it on record, Sydney asked Christopher out...actually, she had one of her friends tell him that she liked him while she hid behind a tree. Christopher walked up to her, looked her up and down, and said "Sure". The rest is history! Obviously, things weren't always sunshine and roses. Love is a tough and complex phenomena, especially among two 11 year olds who barely even understood what love was. The most they should have been worried about was passing the next physical science test or what they were having for dinner that night. The first few months of their 'relationship' was...uneventful. You see, Sydney was a shy and meek little thing. She wouldn't go out of her way to talk to anyone, especially a BOY. So yes, for the first few months of their relationship, thetwo didn't speak. They would pass each other in the halls, wave hi, work on homework in classes, etc. Then, one fateful day, Christopher sat down across from Sydney in their sixth grade English class and said "Hey, since we're dating and stuff, we should probably talk". From then on, Christopher and Sydney would sit by themselves on the Southside Playground and just talk. They learned everything about each other, and that was how they would spend the next few years together. Then there were first kisses, dances, academic and sporting events, graduation, college, first jobs...through every step of the way, they always had each other. Almost every moment of each other's independent lives were shared together, and they grew together over the years. Now, fast forward to February of 2020...

Anyone who knows the Bates/Peebles clan knows that they LOVE Disney...and that Sydney LOVES Harry Potter. In the last week of February, 2020, the Bates/Peebles clan plus one Lowery set off on a vacation. They would spend two full nights of fun at Universal Studios, Sydney's favorite place on Earth. Now, Christopher and Sydney had had many discussions prior to this about the possibility of getting engaged within the next year. They had decided to wait until the summer so they could finish their classes...at least that's what Sydney had thought. The first night at Universal was so much fun! The whole clan drank butterbeer and ate churros until their stomachs were bursting, and then they rode rides until they couldn't see straight! As the night continued, the family decided to visit the most magical place in Universal Studios: Ollivander's Wand Shop. At this shop, they do a wand choosing ceremony where one lucky witch or wizard had a wand choose them. For all the times Sydney had been there, she had never been chosen! However, that day was just her lucky day-she was picked! She was beyond thrilled and couldn't contain her excitement as they continued to Diagon Alley. Christopher and Sydney stood in front of the dragon that sits perched atop Gringotts Bank, defending all of her riches. They stood their holding hands for a few seconds, a strange feeling between them. As the time turned to 12:00 AM, Christopher looked at Sydney and said, "I love you. More than anything. Can I ask you something?" Sydney, not understanding the situation at all responded "Nope!" ...Needless to say, Christopher still bent down on one knee and asked Sydney to marry him. And like she had been planning since the day they had met, she said yes. In perfect timing, the dragon decided it was time to breathe its fiery flame as the two hugged as an engaged couple for the first time. And that's the story of how Christopher and Sydney got engaged in front of a dragon on February 29th, 2020.