Welcome to Our Love Story!

Ethan and I first met when I was 14 and he was 12. The first time he proposed to me, I was 15, and he was 13. For the longest time, he was just my best friend's little brother—cute, funny, and totally off-limits. His sister even teased me once, asking if I thought he was cute. "No way," I said, laughing, "he’s just annoying." But deep down, I couldn’t deny there was something special about him. Our first date happened when I was 16 and he was 14. We went to a Reds game, joined by my entire family and church group. Despite living nearly an hour apart, we managed to stay close through junior high and high school. I even went to his sophomore homecoming, and he was my date for senior prom. Though we briefly dated, life pulled us in different directions for college, and we lost touch for almost five years. But as my mom always said, “If it’s meant to be, it will be.” And somehow, even through those years apart, God had a plan to bring us back together. Ethan transferred to my university, and our paths crossed once more. At first, I hesitated, unsure if reconnecting was the right choice, but Ethan's persistence reminded me of all the reasons I’d fallen for him before. Slowly, our friendship was rebuilt, until one day he laid it all out for me, saying, “This is more than friendship.” He saw right through my defenses, and in that moment, I had a choice: embrace what we both knew was real, or risk losing it all. So, on June 18th, we made it official—not with grand gestures, but with the quiet certainty that it was right. In January 2021, we moved to Indianapolis and started a new chapter together, sharing an apartment with our friend Aaron. We lived there until January 2023, when we moved into Ethan’s Dad’s house while I finished my last semester of grad school, and Ethan transitioned to a new position in Ohio. In August of 2023, we welcomed Willow, our sweet dog, into our family. The next month, we bought our first house. And in October, under an autumn sky, Ethan asked me to be his forever. Our love story didn’t unfold like a traditional fairy tale, but it’s uniquely ours. Every twist and turn led us here, and I wouldn’t change a single moment.

Our story began in a small town, where Courtney LeAnna Marie Cummings (yes, you have to say both middle names) was the lively, confident girl known for having a PhD in talking. I first met her through my sister, who was friends with Courtney through 4-H. She was the show cattle girl, while I stuck to projects that didn’t involve anything that could run me over—woodworking, cooking, rockets, etc. I’ll never forget the time Courtney, in her typical fearless way, asked me to help walk one of her cows back to the barn after it had just been washed. I had no idea what I was doing, but she made it seem so easy. It was a moment that stuck with me, but I had no idea just how many more moments we’d share in the years to come. At 13 years old, I proposed to Courtney with a glow stick at my sister's Sweet 16 birthday party (thanks for putting me up to that one Derek). Although I’m not sure I ever got a clear "yes" or "no"— the whole situation was so embarrassing—I’ll just assume she wanted to say yes. Even if my sister wasn’t exactly thrilled about Courtney having a crush on her little brother. We grew closer during our years in high school, where our friendship turned into something a little more. Courtney was two years ahead of me in school, and while I can’t quite call her my high school sweetheart (she’ll never let me live that down), I knew she was someone special. Even though life took us on different paths after high school, we always stayed in touch—and, somehow, over time, we always found our way back to each other. When I transferred to Wright State University, we reconnected like no time had passed. Although, there was a time when Courtney thought it was best to let go, even tried to give me a scrapbook she had made for me in high school as her way of cutting ties, but it wasn’t long before we realized that wasn’t the end of our story. Fast forward to 2020, when I knew I had to be honest about my feelings. I told Courtney that we couldn’t keep spending so much time together unless we took another chance at romance. It was a bit of an ultimatum—but it worked. From that moment on, everything started to fall into place. We rented our first home together in Indianapolis with my lifelong friend, Aaron, and it was there that our journey really took off. Away from family and everything familiar, we found ourselves building something entirely our own. Through all of life’s challenges and celebrations, we have stood by each other’s side. On May 5, 2023, I had the honor of watching Courtney graduate with her doctorate in occupational therapy—an achievement she worked incredibly hard for. That same day, we crossed the finish line together in our first half marathon—she beat me by one second, of course. Just a few months later, in August of 2023, we brought home Willow, our sweet Goldendoodle. In September, we bought our first house together. Then, in October, I proposed again—this time at Red River Gorge, with Willow by our side. It was the perfect moment, reminding me just how lucky I am to share this life with Courtney. As we look ahead to our wedding day on May 25, 2025, we reflect on the incredible journey we have had so far. From our early days of livestock and 4-H to where we are now, every step has brought us closer together. We can’t wait to see what the future holds!