During our first year together at HSU, we were actually part of the same friend group but never really got to know each other very well. Then, three years later when we were preparing for SING!, we ended up spending quite a bit of time together (and a Chick-fil-a Frosted Lemonade). Shortly after that, we bonded over Halloween movies and Harry Potter. Soon, we were hanging out practically all the time and before we knew it, we were on our first official date.

From the beginning of our relationship, Danny showed me how kind and thoughtful he is. He put so much work into coming up with a creative date and definitely showed me how much he wanted to get to know me. We went to the bookstore and played a game where we'd get an instruction, go and find a book in that category and share our findings with one another. We found books with funny covers, books that had all kinds of places we wanted to travel to, and books that were our favorites growing up. I learned so much about Danny that night, I learned about his past and his hopes for the future and I learned most of all that he was one of the most special guys I had met. I was so anxious to keep learning more.

Taking a trip down memory lane, I want to share the first time we both said I love you to each other. I planned a date where we went out for a romantic dinner and afterward, we would try to long board around ACU. I knew Bailey was uncoordinated, but geez, I did not realize her level of clumsiness until she stepped on that long board. However, she was so sweet and positive and adventurous, willing to try new things even though she knew she could break a bone at any moment. I held her hands as we rolled across the parking lot and after many failed attempts to make it more than 10 feet forward, we walked back to her house hand in hand. It was then that my emotions and feelings for her overflowed in me, my heart nearly bursting inside my chest. I gazed at her on the driveway in front of her house and said I love you for the first time. She immediately said it right back and it has been even more magical everyday with her since.