It all started on a sunny Sunday afternoon...Christie was pulling into her apartment complex to get dressed up for the evening. A few minutes at home and there was a knock on her door. As she opened the door, a guy by the name of Andrew goes “Are you Christie?” Confused, Christie answers with a “maybeeee.” In her mind she’s thinking some guy is coming over to fix something in her apartment, since this man was dressed in a neon orange construction shirt. The next words out of this mans mouth were “don’t worry, I’m not a stalker.” Later into the conversation, she finds out that this Andrew guy is a friend of her godmother (Gail Everett), and she had told him that they lived in the same complex and to keep an eye out for her. Well, Andrew did just that. By fate, he saw her driving home one day, followed her to her door, and made the bold move to introduce himself. And all in a matter of months, this guy went from stalker, to neighbor, to friend, to boyfriend. And now to husband. If that’s not a fairytale love story, then I don’t know what is.
The Barham and Messinger family were all together for the week of the fourth of July, up at the Barham cabin on Diamond Lake. Andrew popped the question out on the boat dock, under the fireworks. With all of Diamond lake cheering and clapping, it was truly a moment to remember. Independence day will always be Christie's favorite holiday from now on. God Bless America! “In you, I’ve found the love of my life and my closest, truest friend.”