Our paths first crossed in January of 2022 at a Volleyball event with our bible study. Just a few weeks later, we connected again at a Swing Dance night organized by our friend Moses. While standing around the snack table, I asked Janelle for her number so I could add her to a swing dance group chat. Our interactions continued at various group events, from me inquiring about how many pairs of shoes she owned (a vital detail when getting to know someone) to her sharing stories about her upcoming travels. When we weren’t at events together, we occasionally texted or sent audio messages about our work and daily lives, and we often responded to each other’s Apple Fitness updates. Then came the first favor she asked of me. The asking of the favor first came at bible study where Janelle and Kylie (Janelle’s roommate) asked if I could help mount a tv. We followed up over text while discussing her recent trip to Hawaii and which pants I should buy (I definitely needed her fashion expertise!). However, we couldn’t find a date that worked to mount the TV before the annual Halloween party, which was just a week away. So that we can tell this story together I will pass it on to Janelle. I arrived at the Halloween party as the tooth fairy and Ken walked in as a skyscraper. We greeted each other and were in different parts of the party until suddenly Ken was walking toward the kitchen eating a Big Mac and offered to share his McNuggets. We shared a few laughs and Woo snapped a photo of us. Before I left Ken had offered to come over the next day to mount the television. The next day, I was so nervous and ended up double-texting Ken! AH! Ken arrived with his toolbox and was ready to start the project. We spent the day mounting the TV having great conversations, and many laughs. Once the TV was mounted I took him to dinner at Venezia’s and we watched a scary movie. Ken asked to take me to dinner the following week and we watched Casablanca with some Harkins popcorn. Ken made his intentions clear and pursued me faithfully. Back to Ken In the months that followed, we wasted no time in introducing each other to our friends and family. Janelle joined my family for Christmas, and I traveled to LA in March for her cousin Christina’s wedding. These introductions to family and friends were important to us because we believe God has called us to live in community, supporting one another, sharpening each other, and providing accountability. We are forever grateful for the impact you’ve had on our story in both past seasons and present seasons. You have loved us individually, and we have loved you individually. We are excited to embrace your love and share our own as Mr. and Mrs.

I asked Janelle, and she said yes (hence why we are here) in the Boston Public Garden on August 10, 2024. You might be wondering, why Boston? It’s a question we’ve been asked countless times and understandably so with our lack of connection to the city. Before the Summer of 2024, I was asked if I had any trips planned to which I answered “Not a darn thing!” Janelle, always up for an adventure suggested we take one together. The next question was where to? If you know Janelle, you know her large appetite for traveling! Her list of destinations is long and I look forward to fulfilling it with her over the years. Well, where we decided to begin fulfilling that list was Boston in August of 2024. Our first day in Boston August 9, was a whirlwind— me keeping the ring hidden, taking a Boston Duck Tour, touring Fenway Park, and capping it off with a game at Fenway. The next day was equally adventurous as we walked the entire Freedom Trail, visiting the resting places of many revolutionaries and walking the same historic paths they once did. That day led us to the big moment in the evening and to be honest I wasn’t nervous at all. As I looked at the girl beside me, I felt completely at peace, knowing I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Of course, it’s easy to feel that way when you’re exploring a new city, eating great food, and leaving your worries behind. But the peace I felt was something deeper—it wasn’t just from the excitement of the trip. It was a peace that surpasses all understanding, a gift from the Lord, who had guided me through my life to this moment. He challenged me, comforted me, and encouraged me through His word, and through all of you who are reading this. Enough about what led up to the big moment—let's talk about the proposal itself! After finishing the Freedom Trail with a Boston Tea Party reenactment, we headed back to the hotel. We were supposed to meet the photographer at 6:30 pm, but we didn’t even leave the event until 5:15. A few miles away from the hotel, we caught a bus and didn’t arrive until just before 6 pm. The chances of getting my future bride ready and out the door on time? Pretty slim! I texted the photographer to update her with a more realistic timeline, and she graciously agreed to push things back. I told Janelle to take her time (after all, I wanted her to look as beautiful as possible for this moment—and, honestly, I needed a little time myself!). I mentioned to her we had "reservations" at 7 pm, and there was a 30-minute grace period. I also casually told her our dinner was near the Public Garden, and we'd need to walk through it to get to the restaurant. By 6:40 pm, we were on our way, catching the Boston T and getting off right by the park, the perfect setting for what was about to happen. As the sun set over Boston, we strolled through the park, and I shared with Janelle that I had finally finished reading all the Bible verses she had written for me as a Christmas gift. To give you some context, Janelle had written verses on sticky notes, crumpled them up, and placed them in a mason jar for me to read over time. Just 22 days before the proposal, I was sitting at my desk and thought, "What if there are as many verses left as there are days until I propose?" I counted them, and sure enough, there were 22. It was a small but meaningful God-sighting for me. Now, far from that desk and standing at our intended destination, I pulled out a letter, thanking Janelle for her patience in waiting for this moment. I told her how the Lord had made it clear that I was ready to ask her a question. Then, I handed her a sticky note with a Bible verse: Proverbs 18:22—"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." With that, I asked her to marry me! So now, when you think of Boston, remember it not only as the birthplace of the American Revolution but also as the place where Ken and Janelle’s next chapter began with their engagement!