If you had been there from the beginning, you would have seen it before either of them did. It started simply, the way the best things usually do. Caleb and Giselle were just friends. But anyone paying close attention could see that something was quietly growing in Caleb every time she was around. He couldn’t always hide it, and honestly, he wasn’t doing a great job of trying. Before they were even close to dating, Caleb started finding reasons to be near her. His favorite excuse was cooking full meals for the whole friend group. Ten people, every time, without fail. And while everyone sat around enjoying the food, those watching knew exactly what was going on. He wasn’t just being generous. He wanted Giselle in that kitchen with him. Cooking for ten people just to spend time with one is a lot, but knowing Caleb, it made complete sense. The feelings kept growing and eventually started showing up in ways that were hard to miss. He’d open her car door while the rest of us exchanged knowing glances. He’d grab her food before she even thought to ask. He was always looking for some small way to take care of her. Their friend group saw it clearly long before either of them said anything out loud. Then on January 1st, the very first day of 2025, Caleb stopped waiting. He showed up with flowers in hand and nerves he was clearly trying to hold together, and took Giselle to the Manhattan Beach Pier for their first official date. They got ice cream from Salt & Straw and talked for hours. Those who knew him could already tell. This wasn’t just a date. This was the beginning of something he had been building toward for a long time. What followed was less than a year of dating, but it was one of the fullest years to witness. There were flowers and dates wandering through IKEA, where they quickly discovered that building a future together would sometimes mean figuring out furniture assembly together, with varying degrees of patience. There were late night Target runs that turned into long, unhurried conversations and a cart full of things neither of them planned to buy. There was Japan, the two of them walking through glowing streets at night with no real agenda, just soaking it all in side by side. And there were the quieter traditions too, like working their way through the monthly flavors at Salt & Straw, something everyone around them hopes they keep doing for many years to come. The more time they spent together, the more you could hear them dreaming out loud. About travel, about a home, about the life they were slowly building toward. Then November came. Caleb got down on one knee and asked Giselle to marry him. He promised her a real life, not a perfect one, but one where he would be right there beside her through all of it, the joyful days and the hard ones, the laughter and the growth. For Caleb and Giselle, marriage is more than two people making a promise to each other. They see it as a reflection of something far greater, a living picture of the faithful, enduring love that Jesus shows to those who believe in Him. That is the foundation they want everything to be built on. And so here they are, stepping into the rest of their story with God leading the way and a whole life stretched out in front of them. Those of us who watched it all unfold from the beginning couldn’t be happier for what comes next.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​