We’re getting married!

Nathan and Hailey met at the most classy place, a bow fishing tournament in the heat of June. Nathan somehow caught a half a pound gar which was way more impressive then catching a monster to Hailey and she, of course, out fished him. Friends to lovers happened pretty fast after this. November came along and Nathan finally had the courage to ask Hailey's grandparents to date her, because she was not letting him date her easily.. he needed the practice for Hailey's hand in marriage anyways. Although, this part of their story was right person, wrong time and Hailey broke it off at the McDonald's parking lot nine months later. Oops.

Four years later and Hailey was in college and really wanted to go to passion, a huge Christian conference, and her church at home just so happens to go. Nathan also happened to go. Nathan has grown up a lot since Hailey last saw him and the fruits of the spirit were VERY evident in him. Hailey was impressed. Hailey did not have a crush... yet... but very much looked up to the man Nathan was becoming. It wasn't until March when she came home for spring break and her church just had a youth weekend retreat that her best friends dad, Brandon, hosted their home and Nathan just so happened to be their home's leader. Brandon had lots of great things to say about Nathan's character and leadership styles; Hailey thought "wow, this is exactly how I want my future husband to be." Hailey went back to Pitt and could not stop thinking about this, until the third day of it clouding her mind she finally realized she had a crush, AHH!

Hailey decided to go home for the summer, not for husband shopping but was a little hopeful Nathan would look her way. Wrong. Hailey really liked Nathan, everyone around her knew just the extent of it, she adored his love for Christ and his character. Meanwhile, Nathan was in his own world. Summer was coming to an end and the young adult class at church was having a last hurrah, volleyball night, and Nathan was there. Hailey accidently not so accidently asked him to help her with getting her cornhole boards out of her car, Nathan said yes, and the rest of the night they hit it off.

Hailey was saying the whole summer "It's he who finds himself a wife" and refused to pursue Nathan... until after this night she felt a calling to reach out first. After praying over it for a few days and maybe getting over her pride a little she finally sent a text. She didn't know he was wrestling with God during this time saying if this is the girl for him, he was not going to reach out since he was in his season of singleness and she would have to do something. Typical man. BUT he said yes to coffee and they have been inseparable since. Besides the distance, their hearts grew closer.

Nathan came down for the weekend, but had to leave before Sunday, March 8th, Hailey's birthday for "church men's meeting". Which he actually drove all the way to Coweta AND right back to Joplin. Crazy. Hailey and her best friend Molly were driving to Joplin for some birthday freebies, luckily for everybody she is directionally challenged so when they pulled up to a beautiful waterfall, she didn't think anything of it until she was asked to get out. Then, she got engaged to the love of her life. She thinks, she blacked out until they got back in the car.