It’s finally happening!

Picture it! Lubbock, 2016. It’s a hot July evening, and I (Cassandra) am at home alone eating Cheez-Its on the couch. I decide to go to Bodyworks (a local gym) to feel better about my choices, and viola! (Enter in Rene) Okay, so yes, maybe we met at the gym (It's very romantic, I know!) but the best is yet to come; just keep reading. The most surprising thing about meeting each other at the gym isn't that we hardly go to the gym, but it's that, at that time in our lives, we were both working for the same agency - for an entire year - and had never met or heard of each other until that day. Once we met, we suddenly had important and urgent business matters that required the other's assistance on almost a daily basis (still unsure how we were able to get anything accomplished in the year prior). We were each other's most valuable co-worker. As the summer transitioned to fall, we transitioned from co-workers, too.

On November 21, 2020, Rene took me out to dinner at the Cotton Court in downtown Lubbock. It was a new restaurant/hotel, and there was a big seating area outside that had fire pits, outdoor games, and pretty string lights. We ate dinner inside, and afterward, Rene told me we should walk around outside to look at the set up. We walked down the sidewalk, and a little ways down the sidewalk, I saw a path to my left of tea light candles. In the middle of the path, I saw our daughter, Cameron, carrying a bouquet of flowers and walking towards me. I looked toward Cameron and the tea lights and saw the path of candles led to marquee lights that said "MARRY ME." I turned to Rene (in complete shock) and he dropped to one knee! Once he stood up, there was a lot of applause - partially from people eating outside, but mainly from our family and friends. They had known for weeks and were ready to celebrate with us! We spent the rest of the evening with them... then we went to Denny's.

We have decided to have a small, intimate wedding! We are very eager and excited to gather with our families and close friends to celebrate our story and the love we have for each other. Over the last five years, so much has changed: our family grew, our jobs changed, our vehicles upgraded, and well, Bodyworks isn't even the name of that gym anymore. We have watched Jesus transform our lives and our relationship and are eternally grateful He brought us together and designed the gift of marriage. On November 20, 2021 as the sun sets over what's sure to be a crisp fall day, we get the honor of becoming husband and wife, and we can't wait to celebrate with you!