We’re getting married!

When my mom moved in next door to Dakota's mom we weren't celebrating anything other than her new home, little did we know fate had other plans. Dakota walked over and introduced himself to my mom one afternoon, that evening at dinner she told me about her "really good looking neighbor" who was "absolutly my type". I found him on social media and proceeded with a cringe worthy excuse as to why I was contacting him. Something like he "popped up on the 'Friends you might know' section of my page". He let me pretend that I was smooth and asked me to have dinner with him. Our first date was watching the Duke vs Carolina game together at a local burger place. Duke stole the win from Carolina in the last few minutes which left me incredibly salty, and wanting to bail on the entire rest of the night. On a huge chalk board outside of the restaurant that encouraged people to write their goals, hopes, or dreams; Dakota found me a piece of chalk and encouraged me to join so many other and write down what I wanted most. We both knew that night that there might have been something more to this, than just new neighbors having dinner.

On our first family of five vacation to San Diego, California we visited the San Diego Zoo with my sister and her family. While in the aviary Dakota asked me to take a picture with him in front of a water fall, I asked him "really, why here?" My sister told me to "go take a picture with him Lauren". I walked over prepared to do my go to pose for staged photos. Dakota turned me around and pointed out a few different birds that were hidden, when I turned around he was on one knee. He asked me to marry him, and I didn't hesitate to say "YES". It was such a special moment having my sister and her family, and our own kiddos right there with us to share the memory.