While working at Mississippi State, we would interact every time there was a recruiting event in the Union. Cory worked in the Union and helped coordinate all of the technical needs of presenters. I was recruiting for the College of Business, and all of my presentations were in the Union Ballrooms. Cory and his crew would ask if I needed help, but I would make awkward jokes and facial expressions saying I could handle it all on my own. Fast forward a few years to when we were both single, I was living in Jackson and Cory had left MSU. We reconnected online with a message of "don't we know each other?" Hours of texts and calls later, we finally met for lunch at the Bin in Starkville one Saturday in February of 2022. Cory was quiet. I talked a lot. Then we were back to being cities apart. Most of our first dates were cooking the same HelloFresh box meal while facetiming. For months, this was our relationship. We knew that this was something different than either of us had experienced before, and we knew the long distance could not go on forever. One night, Cory prayed for us over our nightly phone call. We asked for patience, but also discernment for how to move forward. Would I move back to Starkville, or would he come to Jackson? The next morning, I received an email about a job opening that would bring me back closer to Cory and our future life together. Looking back on the journeys we took to find each other, God's timing and pushes are obvious. After 6 months of dating, we finally lived just a county apart instead of halfway across the state. Who knew proximity to one another could make dating so much easier!

One weekend at my parents' house, Cory asked my mom and dad for their blessing while I was completing a Peloton test ride to see if I had improved through a training program. While Cory and my parents were all hiding their excitement, I was throwing a temper tantrum over my score not improving. The following weekend, Cory and I headed to church like it was any other Sunday morning. This particular Sunday, I could not seem to make any of my outfits work. I ended up in an ill-fitting pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. Cory shows up in khakis and a polo shirt, and I thought "hmm he's more dressed up than usual" which normally would have inspired me to dress to match. Not today though! After church, we headed to Mississippi State's campus to walk, just like we did every Sunday. This time, we headed straight to the chapel, which was not our normal track. Cory had me by the hand, and I started to think "Is he proposing?" So I lingered around the fountains. Nothing happened. Then we went inside the chapel. I lingered. Nothing happened. I told myself I was being ridiculous, and Cory had told me numerous times by now that it was not happening yet. I needed to just enjoy our time together. It was a beautiful day on campus, and we had no where to be. As we walked out of the chapel, Cory squeezed my hand and said "I have to ask you something," and he hit his knee. My hands went to my face and I started crying saying "no, no, no...." because I realized I was completely caught off guard in my OnCloud tennis shoes and terrible ensemble. After an incredibly sweet speech from him, and me asking "are you serious?" numerous times, Cory had completely surprised me with the most perfect proposal possible.