Welcome to our Weekend Wedding Celebration!

Our good friend Jenna, whom we've known since tournament ball connected us. Jenna and I played together against Sadie's team, but I, of course, didn't remember Sadie except for being some high energy talkative blonde. We texted for a couple of weeks but I wasn't interested in starting anything at the time. Jenna and I were both traveling home for the holidays. Since Jenna had recently moved to Oregon, we decided to plan a time to hangout. Sadie, magically, joined the group. We've seen each other or talked on the phone everyday since.

Since I lived in Georgia and Sadie lived in Oklahoma, once or twice a month depending on our schedules, we would fly or drive to the cheapest place we could find and spend the weekend. Our 'first date' was in Orlando. Other dates to follow included Brunswick, Savannah, Nacogdoches, and Denver. Even after moving back to Oklahoma, we continued the weekend getaways by spending New Years in San Antonio and Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Knowing I wanted to propose during our trip to NOLA, her friend, Dale, helped me plan the day with everything she loves. We ate crawfish in a park that was home to the Tree of Life which backed up to the giraffe exhibit at the zoo. It was the 24th and the moon was in a new phase, everything aligned perfectly. I had rehearsed a poem I wrote to profess my love for months practicing with my friend, Cimone, at work. I knew it forward and backwards and was ready to pop the question. When the time came, I suggested we take some pictures of the massive 300 year old tree. It's base circumference was 35 ft and branches reaching 160 ft high. Dare was oblivious as Dale took a few pictures of us sitting under the tree gazing into each others eyes talking about the beauty of nature. Then I began to recite the poem.... From the start, you sowed within my heart Planted the first day we met, soon to become the perfect duet Our love quickly sprouting, with every long distant trip outing My adoration for you continues to grow, like the branches of this tree flow The roosts of our relationship are really strong, but I want to ensure its going to be lifelong So while we are under the Tree of Life, Dare Chronister will you be my wife? During the poem, happy tears began to run down Dare's cheeks and by the end of it complete waterworks. As she buried her face in her hands attempting to wipe away the tears, she let out an enthusiastic, 'YES'! Then jumped up in my arms. As soon as we popped the champagne, the giraffes started peaking over the fence and gave us a congratulatory nod. Fireworks began going off, Dare will say otherwise, but this is my story and I'm sticking to it. What a glorious day!!!

The gist of Sadie's version is accurate except a few minor details.... -After taking a couple of pictures under the tree which is a normal thing we do, I actually stood up to take a picture hugging the tree, but Sadie quickly and awkwardly pulled me back down. I looked over at Dale taking pictures and laughing and that's when I knew. what was going on. -Poor Sadie was so nervous, she couldn't remember the poem by heart and had to pull out her phone to read it. -There were a few tears that came from my eyes, true, but it was because we were both laughing so hard. She mumbled through the 'will you be my wife?' part and shoved the ring box into my hands saying 'here.' -We drank champagne with Dale and Tim while we played with Collette to celebrate. -There were no actual fireworks but the giraffes did come to say hi. It was the perfect Sadie-style proposal and reminded me of every reason I love her.

I've always believed that every woman deserves to be proposed to so I also wanted to ask Sadie, even after she asked me. I planned everything out....October 24th, 2020 because 10 was Sadie's softball number and 24 was mine. She loves gospel choirs which I couldn't provide, but I did have access to sorority women with music majors so I asked some of my students to help out. Lanie could play guitar and sing the style of songs I had narrowed down for the proposal. I hand drew posters (with glitter) of all the major dates from the time we met that the students would hold up as I walked Sadie down a path with Lanie playing behind us. A walk through all of our milestones and memories listening to one of our favorite love songs, Lay By Me by Fire Kid. Then....I had to place the sorority chapter that was helping me on quarantine because of a positive COVID exposure the day before the proposal. Soooo, we waited.... The day before students left for Thanksgiving, Lanie and I were able to piece together a new plan, but similar. There was a football game on campus, so we had to move inside to the performance center which had a beautiful lobby. It is also named for the Pape family which is Sadie's mom's maiden name. The students held the signs leading up the stairs to where Lanie was singing. They all circled around singing until the end when I asked Sadie if she would marry me. She said YES! It wasn't exactly what I planned, but it ended up being exactly perfect for us.