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