You truly can't survive nursing school without a little reliance on your classmates. Long nights, longer papers, daunting tests, and new hospital experiences are made easier when there are people alongside you that understand exactly what is going on. Luckily, I was able to easily connect with people in my clinical group, as I was placed in a group with another guy - a rarity for nursing. Oh yeah, Faith was there too. But in all seriousness, by God's grace and perfect design she and I were placed in Ms. Drohn's nursing assessment clinical together, and just so happened to both suffer injury and car accidents at the same time. Faith broke her wrist that sophomore year while perfecting her craft of English horseback riding. This caused her to miss some important nursing skills that we needed to learn, luckily she had a knight in shining armor at her disposal, who just so happened to need a carpool as his car was totaled that semester. I offered to help Faith study and practice the skills during our free time and she offered to drive me around to our clinical rotation. However, this arrangement involved no studying and practicing. Instead it turned into late-night Insomnia cookies runs, and even-later night star gazing. In that small nursing hall practice room, I would not have known that I was meeting and learning all about my best friend, and future wife. After lengthy face-time calls all throughout thanksgiving break, on November 27th of 2022 I took her out to our stargazing spot and asked her to begin a journey with me. I couldn't tell you how many miles we have explored together, how many hikes we struggled through, how many times our stomachs hurt from laughing too hard, how many times we embraced in a long-needed hug, or how many times we just sat in silence enjoying each others company. But I can tell you how many times we have conquered personal struggles together, how many times that I felt joy and excitement as I saw Faith's car pull up, and how many times I knew that I was loved by someone so amazing as Faith. We will be graduating Liberty University in May to embark on a new journey together in Nashville, TN. We are trading in our Liberty University nursing uniforms for the big boy scrubs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Even though our settings may change, and the challenges may be different, our story will continue to be written everyday. We would not have this story to tell if it wasn't for our friends and family who stood by our side and poured into us, both as individuals and as a couple. The only reason our story was able to start was because of God, with His goodness and mercy and handiwork in our lives, for a reason far beyond what I could comprehend. His grace in our lives brought us together, and we thank Him everyday for this blessing. Oh yeah I forgot to mention that part where I got injured. In comparison to Faith's injury, I took the less elegant and more stupid route. I decided to dislocate my sternum on my not-so healthy shoulder by slamming into the ground while skiing. I have gone on to cut open my forehead running into my garage door, and sprain any and everything since that night star-gazing. Luckily I have a nurse for a wife. - Daniel

I first saw Daniel bright and early on the first day of class (a 6am math test of all things) in sophomore year. I remember being exhausted, annoyed and anxious about this math test, but what I remember most about that morning was seeing Daniel walk through the classroom door. Now, he will tell you that I’m crazy, but I knew from that moment that he would become someone special in my life. By what I can only call an act of God, I was put in not only the same classes as this handsome man, but also the same small clinical group. Now, through this semester, I went through every bad accident that I possibly could have. I totaled my car for the second time (not my fault), got a concussion, got chemical burns on my hand, proceeded to continue my horseback riding practices and immediately get thrown from a horse and break my wrist. As you can imagine, my grades weren’t so great after all this and my not so slick self decided “hey I like this guy, I wonder if he’ll study with me ”. By another act of the Lord, Daniel went along with my antics, and offered to help me in my classes. From there, I inserted myself into his volleyball games and we started going everywhere together. Clinicals, stargazing, grocery stores, drives to nowhere and late night sweet treats trips. It didn’t take us long to start dating. Now, I can’t imagine going anywhere without him. He has become my biggest supporter, my rock and my best friend. I’m am truly honored to have seen him grow from this little baby sophomore nursing student, to the amazing man that he has become today. Our relationship truly has been a gift from God. Without our failures, mistakes, mishaps and injuries, we would not be where we are now. Daniel is the best study buddy, the best hiking partner and I would choose to spend my life with no one else. –Faith