The world needs another Jones.

There are two versions to every story... somewhere in here is how it actually happened.

I had several rules when it came to Tinder dates. 1. No drinking alcohol 2. Look them up on social media to know all their details 3. Swipe right for a fun bio 4. Blue eyes are a bonus Our first date was at Starlite Lounge for martinis and his bio doesn’t stand out in my memory, but definitely made it impossible to find him online. I'm as Type A as it comes to following the rules, but something about Josh Tinder stood out. I can tell you to this day that the photo that drew me in was the soft smile looking up. Big, brown eyes looking for someone to love. Plus, his first message asked me what experience I wanted and I got a poem! (Keep an eye out for that in April!) Our first date was refreshing because when I told Josh I was a Husker football fan, he used it as a place of connection instead of a topic to quiz me on. We chatted and overall had a very nice time. A while later, Josh and I had been on several dates, and we were in the Haymarket area. As my family knows, I can get lost in a paper bag. So when the date was over, Josh offered to walk me to my car. I went in the completely wrong direction. With. Confidence. Josh thought this was a cute and flirty way to get a few more minutes of the date. I was genuinely lost. But I got my first Josh kiss, so it’s a win (and yes, we found my car.) Down the road, Josh asked if I would want to come upstairs to his apartment. Nope. Nada. Not happening. Things were going well, so I obviously caught Josh Tinder off guard. When he asked why, I told him I could never go upstairs into someone’s home when I don’t even know their last name. He looked at me like a deer in headlights. “So this is going to sound like a lie,” he said. “But my last name is Jones.” I declined and went home to look him up. Turns out, his real name is Joshua Michael Jones. The most basic, white man name in all the land. As time went on, Josh and I had lots of fun going to football games, Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, and exploring new restaurants. We were not, however, official. I knew he needed time to work through some personal matters. There was a brief period when we actually weren’t together and tried to date other people. I don’t know what bombshells he picked up, but my other dates were duds. And I would tell Josh about them being so. He was patient with me and would give a casual reminder that he would not do the dumb things. He was right. When we finally decided to give things another chance, it was just easy. We had fun. We could be casual. We could chat about life. Things were good without a label. Then he was a groomsman in a wedding in Omaha. I was to be his plus one. At this point, Josh had asked me to be his girlfriend… a few times. But I was always hesitant. I didn’t want to be hurt again. Plus, commitment is scary. Josh then asked me what he should call me at the wedding. And well, I didn’t want to NOT be his girlfriend. So boom there it was. That was August of 2022. Now, Josh is an active member of the Rahl Family Extended group chat, is always at family gatherings, and just fits in with the chaos of the Rahl fam. I love it. I hang out with his family and I am learning what it will be like to have 10 nieces and nephews and even a great niece. Quite literally a 0-10 moment. Josh asked me to marry him on January 16, 2025. Yes, I saw it coming. Yes, there was a map and diagram for our photographer. It just makes sense. I’ve said yes, and I am beyond excited to say “I do” in April. Josh has made me snacks through my grad school years, helped me through losing loved ones, waited with me for reputation (Taylor's Version), and never made me feel pressured to move faster than I was ready. He’s been good to me and better for me. But, it was my idea for him to get a dog, so I think it balances out. I love you, Josh Jones. <3 Christa

For those of you that haven’t been to Starlite Lounge, it’s an “Atomic Era”, mid-50s retro cocktail bar in Lincoln. Through my early adult years, it was my go-to place to catch-up with friends, decompress after a long week, and the start of many late nights on O Street. It was also where Christa and I had our first date – where we bonded over our mutual love for the Huskers and countless UNL stories. With Christa, those couple hours felt like only seconds. With Starlite’s blue walls that seemed like it was frozen in time, I didn’t expect that to be the start of not only the happiest period of my life, but also the rest of forever with the love of my life. Dare I say, I was entering my “Christa Era.” After walking Christa back to her car, because she did park over a mile away for a first date at night, I remember walking back buzzing and excited. I let all my friends know how the date went and that I was hoping for another date with the girl that made me feel like I could be myself and talk about anything. One date turned into two, two into five, five into ten, and, well, you get the point. I was growing closer and closer to Christa. She was someone I felt comfortable with, someone I felt safe with, and someone that I started to fall in love with. One moment that sticks out to me was one of the Husker games we went to, and, yes, we were there three hours before kickoff in classic Christa fashion. We all know how much Christa loves her Huskers, and the traditions the Husker faithful have in Memorial Stadium. One of the most well-known was releasing a swarm of red balloons after the first Nebraska score. I’m going to be candid – if anyone stole Christa’s balloon before we heard the cannons after a touchdown, I would genuinely be worried for them. At this game in particular, Christa saw a young kid walking by us and found it was his first ever game. Without hesitation, she told him about the red balloons and untied her balloon from her wrist and gave it to him. After getting to know Christa for months, I knew how much she looked forward to therapy every Saturday in the form of Nebraska football, and how much that sense of community meant to her. In that moment, I saw someone that had the tenderness and love to be a great partner, a great wife, and eventually a great mother. Fast forward to January 16th, 2025, Christa and I went on another one our “Alphabet Date Nights” where we started with A and work down the alphabet from there. Today’s letter was R, and I told Christa we can go to one of our favorite restaurants, Rodizio Grill, as a treat. Afterwards we visited “our spot” and where we had our first date, Starlite Lounge. We finished the night with a walk down in the Haymarket. When we got to the spot of our first kiss, by the clock in the middle of the Haymarket, I stopped her and asked her if she knew why this spot was important to us. From our first date at a retro bar, to our first kiss in front of a clock, every moment with Christa Rahl felt timeless. It feels like we just met, but at the same time like I’ve known her my entire life. I let her know that our “R” date wasn’t for Rodizio, but for “Ring.” I asked her if she would make me the happiest man in the world by marrying me. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with Christa. Our journey up to this point has been filled with laughs, countless inside jokes, and an endless amount of growth. I am excited for every joy and obstacle that lies ahead for us in marriage. I love you, future Mrs. Jones! - Josh