We’re getting married!

It all began in 2014, when we were both 16. A mutual friend (shoutout to Nicole!) introduced us one afternoon—her grandparents lived across the street from his family, and the Zicks were practically honorary family. I’ll be honest… I don’t remember much from that first meeting. But rumor has it, Gilcrist left with a tiny teenage crush and a new Facebook friend. And then, as so many 16-year-olds do, we didn’t talk again. Over the years, we saw each other in passing—mostly online. I’d occasionally catch a post and think, “Wow, he turned out so handsome” (and tall… all the Zicks are tall, it’s a thing). But life was busy, and the timing never quite lined up. He moved states. I moved through new chapters of my own. Then, in 2024—ten whole years after we first met—something shifted. He moved back to Fort Mill. I updated my profile picture. He liked it. I noticed. Curious (and nosy), I did a little social media sleuthing, but the man barely posts. So, in a rare move of courage and Gen Z courtship, I followed him on Instagram. A few hours later… he messaged me. Our first date happened just days later. The second followed right after. And on that very second date, Gilcrist looked me in the eyes and told me he would marry me by the end of the next year. Bold? Absolutely. But he meant it. And now here we are—proving that sometimes, the right love takes a little time, a whole lot of Jesus, and a second chance at the perfect timing.