While we aren't high school sweethearts, our story begins in the halls of Lubbock-Cooper High School in 2018. I was collecting money for hat day as part of a student organization I was in and came across Miguel who did not have money for his hat. I told him I had money and paid for him to wear his hat. From then on he became known as the "cute boy in the band." We graduated in 2019 and went our separate ways. Miguel went to serve our country in the Air Force and I began continuing my education in college. Fast Forward to November of 2022, Miguel had returned home to Lubbock after he had spent several months deployed to Iraq. I noticed he was home in Lubbock and I was out of school for the Thanksgiving holiday and decided to reach out so we could hang out (He never stopped being "the cute band boy" in my eyes...he did however graduate to "the cute boy in the Air Force). I sent him a message or "slid in his DM's" as the kids say and from that day forward it was truly history. We met to have coffee, we had a lunch date and when he left to go back to his active duty station in Delaware there was never a break in contact. He made trips home to Lubbock and I made a trip to see him and quickly knew I couldn't be without him. I am so thankful God was detailed in writing our story because it makes how we found our way back to each other more special and something we will always share. Here's to never having to slide in the DM's ever again!

The very first time I actually met Haleigh was for a brief moment on hat day when she was collecting money, and I was being a hoodlum and did not pay for mine. When she knew I did not pay, she paid for it without hesitation. After that, I admit I had a crush because she is gorgeous and was out of my league, so I said "yea that'll never happen". I had seen Haleigh a couple more times through high school, but counted them as friendly interactions because I was and still am a little bit clueless. We go on to graduate and do our own thing with school and the military, and in November 2022, I am wrapping up my deployment, and I receive a DM from Haleigh, and I think it was about a song or something I posted just to make small talk, but we never stopped talking after that. I invited her to coffee when I came home and I was hooked. Not only by her beauty, but how strong and unique she is as a person. I couldn't get enough, and I wanted to see her again so asked her on a date to Parry's. After this it was my time to go back to Delaware, but I came home every chance I could to see her, and she visited me until I decided to move home. It is really full circle but I like to call it God's plan. Overcoming these obstacles of distance, career changing, and multiple moves is a small price for the golden woman I get to have forever. Here's to doing whatever is next together.