We're getting married!

Our love story began in May of 2017, during a Mother’s Day service at Louisburg United Methodist Church. This was the first day we laid eyes on one another - both secretly smitten for one another but trying our best to stay focused. Let’s just say, the message of the sermon got away from us as we peered at one another across the pews from time to time (unbeknownst that this was happening on both our parts). Brady was the Youth Director of LUMC, the same church Monica’s grandmother attends. As silly as it may sound, Monica felt God reveal to her that Brady was going to be someone special in her life. Ironically, Brady was already close with some of Monica’s family. Brady was planning to attend Appalachian State University in the fall for his Masters degree in Exercise Science, and Monica was about to be a Junior at App. It made sense that we would eventually connect, as Brady didn’t know anyone yet. We started dating that fall, soon after forming a strong, heartfelt friendship. This was the time in both of our lives that our individual relationship with God really became a guiding light our personal lives. We shared a deep emotional connection and found that God was the center and foundation of our relationship. We also had similar passions and hobbies such as hiking, healthy living, cooking, dance/movement, and creating all kinds of art. Over the next few years, our relationship was equally joyful as it was challenging, but we discovered a love that far surpassed our expectations. We grew together. We learned that nobody is perfect or could fully meet our expectations, and that hardship is inevitable. And although we weren’t perfect humans, we were perfect for each other. Many beautiful memories were created in the mountains of NC, and we soon went on to start our careers with lots of long distance dating due to Brady's job. We are now living together in our apartment in Kannapolis, NC which is our first place together! We’re both loving our professions (Monica as a Kindergarten teacher, and Brady as an online Health Coach) and taking in all the moments we get to spend with each other. Brady proposed on May 25th, 2024, a beautiful day at the Botanical Gardens in Belmont, NC. The “wait” was worth it—we are so thankful to be in a relationship where deep love is mutual, dreams are supported, values are known and accepted with a shared vision of the future, and joy is abundant. We can’t wait to spend a lifetime together, and have everyone there with us to celebrate!