They met in the fall of 2016. At the start of every OK State football season, there is a training session. Colin was already working there but Imani was a newcomer. As Imani apathetically walked into the building Colin startled her by blurting out, "Hey! I'm Colin. Are you here for parking? It's this way!" She didn't say anything. He noticed but didn't seem to mind. The meeting ended up being on the 3rd floor and as eight + bodies piled into the elevator he made a joke...she was the only one who didn't laugh. He noticed her unresponsiveness & decided the indifference would be mutual. Unbeknownst to them, they would have to work their very first shift together. At first, it was silent but to make time go by faster Colin. They talked about music, anime, school & more. It felt easy.

It didn't take long for Colin & Imani to 'make it official'. After the first weekend game, he asked her if she wanted to come over & watch Fate/Stay (an anime) with a couple of friends. She did & they all ended up watching anime & Netflix for hours. At work that Tuesday, he asked her if she wanted to go out to dinner & they had their first date on Sept. 8th. Nobody had gotten paid yet & everybody's poor in college...so they went to Chipotle. Imani never had it, Colin didn't like it. They haven't been back since. Regardless, since that day, they have almost been inseparable. Over the past 4 years they've traveled all over the US, frequenting music festivals, nature-sites, & museums. They've met each other's families, mixed friend groups, and saw each other graduate, launch into the workforce, & go back to school. Although they're still young, in many ways, they've grown up together.

Every area of life has its challenges, relationships are no exception. Attempting to grow and the ways we grow from said challenges are the real test of our character & our love. With COVID on the rise, Colin and Imani were trying to find different ways to enjoy life. Since April they traveled around Oklahoma exploring nature while being socially distant. One bright morning they decided to go to Chickasaw National Recreation Area. There they lounged in the water & sat atop the rocks where creeks with little waterfalls ran below. Surrounded by flora & fauna while covered in a blanket of sun & water, Colin popped the question. Simple as that. Though...he said he had been thinking of how to do it for almost a year. He decided there was no greater time than the present and everyone agreed; it just felt right.

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