We chose forever!

Wyatts Perspective: I first laid eyes on Libby on the opening day of my senior semester in the fall of 2019 at Byers High School. While I was entering the school, she was making her way out. I distinctly recall finding her very attractive, and from that moment forward, I was too nervous to approach her. To gather even the simplest details like her name, I enlisted the help of my younger brother, Lain, who shared a Spanish class with her. Despite obtaining her name through my brother, I still lacked the confidence to initiate a conversation. The turning point came when exiting my Physics class, I encountered her sitting in the hallway. She complimented my sweatshirt and then intriguingly suggested I try Takis with whipped cream. Intrigued and drawn to her, I couldn't resist the unconventional combination. As expected, it wasn't a culinary masterpiece, but that moment marked the beginning of our conversations, and the rest, as they say, is history. Libby's Perspective: I remember seeing Wyatt for the first time in the hallway at our school and I thought he was very handsome. I was trying to figure out ways to talk with him but nothing clever came to mind. So one day as I was sitting in the hallway and notified the Byers sweatshirt he was wearing. I asked him where it was from and he responded as red as a tomato, “It’s our wrestling sweatshirt” and I swiftly said, “Cool”. After that day we had a couple more interactions and started talking on Snapchat, but to really flirt I asked if he could bring his dog to school and he did, and they lived happily ever after. P.S. I honestly think this was the first time Wyatt and I had ever met but he was stuck on thinking it was the whole Taki and whipped cream interaction, but who knows at this point.

Our first date wasn't at any award-winning restaurant, but rather at the iconic McDonald's fast food chain. Even though it was McDonald's it was a very pleasant and fun first date. Who would have thought that a fast-food joint could set the stage for an everlasting relationship? As we shared fries and dipped McNuggets in sweet and tangy sauces, we couldn't help but laugh at the irony of our unconventional choice for a romantic rendezvous. The ambiance may have been more "golden arches" than "candlelit dinner," but the laughter flowed just as freely. In the end, our first date at McDonald's turned out to be a unique and hilarious chapter in our love story, proving that sometimes the best connections are forged over fast food and a side of laughter.

Since we first started dating, I knew Libby was special, and it didn't take long for the iconic "if you know, you know" line to race through my head. In the three-plus years of dating, she became my best friend. We grew very close together, but the distance between us was a barrier. I would always tell my older brother that if we went to the same college, I would have asked her to marry me two years earlier. However, I didn't want to put the stress on her to be apart due to the distance. So going into our final year of college, I couldn't wait any longer. I kept asking myself, "Why am I waiting? Why any longer?" After countless nights talking with God, the decision finally came to me, that our time as boyfriend and girlfriend had come to an end. I loved her dearly and couldn't justify waiting any longer. She is the one I loved, cherished, and wanted to be with for the rest of my life. In the summer of 2023, I began working on creating Libby's ring for a couple of months before 08/15/23 with the assistance of Brendan Furman and Rebecca Earl. I designed the ring at Yuri's Jewelry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After having the ring made, I planned how I was going to ask Libby the big question. I sought the help of Lanai Anderson to devise a plan on how I was going to do it. The plan was for me to assist Libby in moving into her dorm room during the last year of our college journey, and while helping her move in, I would pop the question. Lanai and I decided to plan a hike, and during the hike, I would ask her. As we drove through the state park, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, it seemed like an eternity until we reached a trailhead to start the hike. Running through the scenario in my head, which felt like a hundred times, only made me more and more nervous. Finally, we reached a portion of the park that we all agreed would be a fun little hike. As we walked on the trailhead, we reached a section with a cave system in the background. I grabbed Libby's arm, attempting to say something romantic, but stumbling over my words due to nervousness. Finally, I looked Libby in the eyes, dropped down on one knee, and asked, "Will you marry me?" P.s. If you want to hear a crazy story, ask me about Pittsburgh!