let's celebrate!

It was a funeral-themed party as a group of friends were losing one of their roommates due to him moving in with his girlfriend. It was a "you're dead to us" type of hilarious farewell. Before said party, a mutual friend set James and I up to meet, as we were both single and exploring life. Little did I know our friend had talked me up and said I was a "hell of a vibe" to James, but she had said nothing to me in return. Upon first meeting, I was slightly annoyed at him trying to get to know me while I was hosting. I had no idea who he was and I didn't really pay him any attention, as I was busy putting out snacks and drinks. For the next six months, James surprised me and would subtly keep my attention with a text here and there, an offer of a date, but nothing constituting a full conversation. He would text me things like "what's your helmet size?" on a random Tuesday night?! Turns out he was buying a '99 Honda motorcycle because he had always wanted one and I said I enjoyed a thrill ride. We went out a few times that summer of 2018, to concerts, to dance, and to hang with mutual friends, but both of us were unattached, and had our own distractions that pulled us in other directions. New Years Eve 2018 came around and that mutual friend pushed me to reach out to James, saying he always had fun plans. Again to my surprise, he took me out dancing and to play games, and it's been a hell of a vibe ever since. He proposed over my birthday weekend, 09/24/23 in Bentonville, Arkansas. We were attending Format Festival, a music, art and technology festival, while also mountain biking, and visiting Crystal Bridges museum throughout the course of the weekend. All of our favorite things in one place!