We met because we both were part of the first generation, low-income group at the university we went to. They sat one table over and my service dog barked to alert me and it startled them; they're scared of dogs. We later found out we had classes together and we started sitting next to each other and talking about where we're from and found out that at one point we lived about 3 miles from each other and had no idea! We became best friends, and eventually, fell in love and the rest is history.

Quinn proposed first on January 10th, 2021. The only reason she remembers the day is because it was the day before her first day of work as a Preschool Teacher. She got Austen's ring in the mail either the day before or that afternoon and drove all the way to High Point. Austen was having a bit of a bad day so that evening the two of them were getting McDonald's and Austen said they thought they were going to cry and so Quinn just said "Don't cry, marry me instead," and gave them the ring, to which Austen did, in fact, cry, but it was happy tears as they said "yes." Some people might say that proposing in the McDonald's parking lot is disasterous but it was perfect for us because it didn't matter where, it was the fact that we did it. Austen counter proposed about a month later when they received Quinn's ring in the mail. They opened the package, looked inside, got out of the car, and said to Quinn, "Get out of the car," and Quinn kept asking why and saying she didn't want to so Austen walked around to the driver's side, opened the car door and got down on one knee in the Botetourt loading dock behind the mail room at Hollins University. Quinn started laughing in the way you laugh because you're shocked as she said "yes," and Austen gave her the ring. So there you have it. Our proposals. I hope they made you smile because it certainly makes me smile to think about them.