We're STILL getting married!

Nick and I have known each other since kindergarten at Valley View Elementary School when we were 5 years old. We went through all of grade school together, we had the same mutual friends, and would occasionally be at the same function, but only really knew each other as acquaintances. On May 16, 2015, is when all of that changed. We met friends out at a bar to celebrate our friend Zach and Nick's college graduation. Ever since that night, Nick and I have been inseparable. It did take Nick a while to warm up to me though. He didn't officially ask me out until September 26, 2015; 4 months later. We spent that entire summer together, getting to know everything about each other. As the months passed and our relationship progressed, I was starting to get worried that maybe Nick didn't like me, considering he didn't "officially" ask me out. I had met all of his family, he had met mine, we went out in public and with our friends together, so what was he waiting for?! Although I was mildly concerned, something told me to not think too much into it. On September 26, 2015, I picked Nick up to go to the Durham Fair so we could see Craig Morgan perform. Not even a mile down the street, Nick leaned over from the passenger seat and screamed to me "DO YA WANNA DATE?" Through a huge fit of laughter, I was able to say yes, even though we had practically been dating for months already. I quickly learned that Nick likes to do things his way and when he feels ready to do so (see our engagement story). May 16 and September 26 (and April 13!) will always hold special places in both of our hearts. While we may not have started dating earlier in life, we believe that everything happens for a reason and at the right time in life. Nick and I are perfect for each other, and we love the life that we have created together. We are best friends and can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together!

In the spring of 2019, Nick and I decided to take a big trip to California and drive down the coast. We were so excited about this trip and everyone thought that's when our engagement would happen. Little did everyone know, that is NOT when I wanted our engagement to happen. I really wanted my engagement to Nick to be in our home, in a quiet setting, surrounded by friends and family. Every weekend when something fun was happening, I would think "This is it! This is my engagement!", and every weekend would end and I would still not be engaged. It was like the more I kept thinking about it, the more it didn't seem to be happening. Being the dramatic person I am, I thought to myself that it probably just wasn't ever going to happen (considering how long it took Nick to ask me to be his girlfriend). Of course, the one weekend that I don't think the proposal was going to happen, it happened. It was the morning of Saturday, April 13 and Nick got up at 5am like he was going to work, got dressed and left the house. I laid in bed thinking "just another Saturday". A few hours later, Nick called to tell me he was coming home from work due to rain. I believed him and lounged in bed until he got home. When he came home, he told me to stay in bed because he was making me a surprise breakfast. At this point, I knew something was up. After waiting in bed for 45 minutes, Nick finally let me come into the kitchen were he set up our table with beautiful flowers, chocolates, and had pancakes with cut up strawberries that read "WILL YOU MARRY ME". He got down on one knee in the middle of our kitchen and asked me to marry him! Saying yes was the easiest decision of my life, knowing I get to spend forever with my best friend. (Later I found out that Nick had some WILD ideas of what he thought was the perfect proposal. Thank you to our friends and family who kindly talked him out of those ideas. I am forever grateful to you!)