We’re getting married!

After seven years together, it has been life changing to grow up alongside Matt. I was fifteen when we met. Back then we spent every weekend bouncing around from friend's house to friend's house. Matt always in tow to our favorite spots around Richmond. We stayed in touch here and there while Matt was away at JMU for his first year of college. Not long after his return home for the Summer we began dating. It was early days but Matt saw me through my Senior Homecoming, Prom and Graduation before heading to JMU together in 2017. I quickly became the friend to ask questions to by figuring out JMU's transit app. I would hop on that blue bus on snowy evenings or on days to escape the heat of JMU's housing with no AC (RIP to our Dorm Ikenberry which was torn down in 2023). I remember walking up the infamously steep "Death Stairs" from Showker to the Quad during a 15 minute change over. Hoping we didn't get stopped by the train and likely not speaking because we were so out of breath. It is crazy to look back on those tailgating college kids where our biggest stressor was an upcoming exam or not having enough dining dollars to see us through the end of the semester. There was something powerful allowing us to simultaneously grow up individually while together and when apart. After Matt graduated in 2019 and we began two years of long distance. The moment I knew I was in it with Matt was one Fall morning three years in. After a particularly difficult night of distance, I got in the car to head to campus and the radio was playing (literally the radio, what an old fashioned sentence). The first words I registered were from Taylor Swift's song Lover, "I've loved you three Summers now, honey, but I want 'em all." At that time we had shared three Summers together. That simple instance gave me all of the reassurance, the lightbulb, there was no longer any such thing as doubt. And that was the moment I knew. After graduating from JMU in 2021, Matt and I graduated to "medium distance" together while he lived at home and I lived in Richmond for a year. We had an incredible opportunity to begin building our house the following Fall and worked towards moving in together. Since then we have created a beautiful home and life together. We spend most nights outside on our porch swing, watching the dogs run around. The cliche "everything happens for a reason" is sometimes all there is to say, especially when you are a glass half full kind of girl. I am so fulfilled and better for the many years spent together and apart, I am a better version of who I am becoming every day thanks to Matt. I could not be more lucky to have found my person so young. I am thankful to Matt for never dimming my shine and undoubtably supporting me. I am home when I am with Matt. I cherish our time together and the balance we have mastered when being apart. I look forward to marrying this man and becoming his wife. I have always loved the concept of chosen family and I choose Matt every day. By the looks of it, I am getting all of your Summers. I love you, Matt Davis!

Chesley truly is one of a kind. We met at a friend’s house when I was 17, just getting ready to go to JMU. We all hung out and played ping pong in the garage, (one of the only things that chesley isn’t better than me.) Fast forward a few weeks and even though neither one of us knew it, we were secretly setup on a date. We went to Texas Roadhouse and while we were throwing peanut shells on the floor, she taught me that peanuts did not come from trees like I thought. We kept joking through dinner and I didn’t want the night to end. Since I was going to college in a few months, I didn’t want a relationship. It doesn’t work very often and I didn’t want to risk losing her from my life, so we stayed friends and it was one of the best summers of my life. We had so much fun talking and laughing like we had known each other our whole life. Unfortunately, the end of the summer was getting closer and it was time for me to go to school. My freshman year we drifted away a little, I was adjusting to college and she was starting the process herself. When I came back that May, something in me clicked and I realized it was absolutely worth a shot to try the relationship with her. We got closer again and it was like that previous summer. We went to visit her Aunt at the beach and we decided to make it official that day on 6/16/16. We had another amazing summer, but August came and it was time to leave again. I would come back once a month and she would visit a couple times, it was tough but we made it work and I’m so glad we did. After she graduated, she wanted to be a Duke too and we didn’t have to be 2 hours apart anymore. We didn’t have the stereotypical relationship, we didn’t see each other everyday. She had her things and I had mine. I think that’s what has made us such a great team. We were independent people with our own lives, uniting as one, choosing each other everyday. Since we met when we were both young, I never wanted her to rely solely on me in case something were to happen with us. That allowed her to find herself and be the wonderful person we all know today. Chesley is the kindest, sweetest and most caring person I know. There’s no way I can give her everything she deserves, but I wake up everyday and do all that I can. She is national treasure with the best smile I have ever seen. She is the love of my life and I can’t wait for the next chapter of our lives