It's happening! We're getting married!

June 9th, 2020- Two weeks before Blake and I met, the frustration I've been consumed with all throughout my teenage years had finally peaked. I was done trying to go out of my way to meet someone and have the "boyfriend/girlfriend" experience all the other people my age were having. It was time to focus on improving myself and focus on that. That is the day I prayed, "I will no longer force what You have not planned for me, Lord. I will remain patient. When You bring the man I am to be with, I will be ready. It is Your time, not mine." June 23rd, 2020- Two weeks later exactly at 2:20pm, I get a Facebook private message. "Heyy how's your day been soo far!!?". I wanted to follow my natural instincts of just deleting the message because I believed it to just be another scam account. A feeling I can't quite describe, rerouted my typical reaction. I mention the message in passing to my mom and she encourages me to respond after we check out this guy's Facebook page to verify his legitimacy... I remember thinking to myself, "Someone that handsome would never reach out to me AND be real!" (At least that's what my self-esteem at the time was trying to tell me.) Blake Grad, a self-proclaimed drummer and Disney enthusiast also applying for the Disney College Program in Orlando, FL. If anyone knows me, they know I adore everything Disney! Not only that, but at the time, my number one goal was to be accepted into that same Disney College Program Blake was going for. I'll never forget how fast my heart began to race when I realized this guy was for real AND... HE LOVES DISNEY?! Jackpot! I message back and forth with Blake for nearly 3 hours. (Boy, did this guy know how to keep a conversation going even when you tried to discontinue it after the first hour!) We exchanged terrible selfies to prove to each other we were real and we scheduled our next "date". A FaceTime call the next day. Oh yeah, let's not forget the part where I lived in Pennsylvania still and Blake lived in Florida! (This leads to 9 months of long distance which was an adventure within itself!) From then on, Blake planned the most extraordinary first date/first meeting at... you guessed it... Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL! August 19th, 2020 we finally meet in-person. After the most perfect trip, Blake drops me off at the airport to go back to PA. As we cried in each other's arms at the gate, that's when I knew I've fallen for him. God gave me my person. My soulmate. I thank Him every day for the blessing that is Blake.

I always had my own idea of, "the perfect relationship" just like everyone else on earth. But I never thought of it as a realistic thing that I could have myself. Like Brittany, being in a relationship as a teen was something I always desired. Having a speech complication at the time though, put me into a mindset where I didn’t feel comfortable in social scenarios. I knew what I wanted to say, but it would never come out the way I wanted to communicate it. I just wanted someone other than my family to understand and accept me. In my first semester of college, I went for a spring break trip with my mom to the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World! Disney World is a place where my family and I have spent majority of our happiest moments through our childhoods. As my mom and I strolled through Epcot, we chatted about numerous things throughout the day. One conversation was me expressing how frustrated I was with not finding the healthy, loving, and fun relationship I've seen others have around me. (Granted, I was only 21 at the time and had plenty of time to mature and grow as an individual. But we all know things feel urgent when you're young!). I catch a glimpse of a couple standing in line for Spaceship Earth. Their faces beaming with contentment as they looked into each other's eyes. The way they communicated seemed healthy and refreshing compared to my past relationships. They complimented each other well. I point them out to my mom. That was exactly what I wanted. It was simple and loving. But my mom taught me, God rewards patience. From that moment, I was reminded that through prayer and patience, God would bring the one for me into my life when He was ready. His timing is perfect. Fast forward to June 23rd, 2020. I was in my nana's car waiting for my sister to finish her driver’s test at the DMV, scrolling through a Facebook group I was in for Disney College Program applicants. I stop quickly when I come across an applicant's introductory post. The most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I'll never forget how her warmth came through the photo just from her smile. I knew I had to message her, even though I was so nervous! Our first messages were so simple and innocent. But little did I know that would be the first conversation with my future wife. As we chatted back and forth throughout the following month, our shared love for Disney was more than apparent. But we both seemed to click in a way that completely exceeded my expectations of what it meant to find my person. She understood me in ways no one else seemed to. She made me feel like I could truly be myself. I planned our first date to be at a place that seemed very fitting (given the reason we met): Disney World! When we really got into the trip, Brittany made it known how comfortable she was with me... by talking my ear off about Disney facts/secrets as we made our way through the parks. I love her to death, but dang did this girl put my own love for Disney to shame! But even when I was annoyed, I couldn't ignore the passion she had for it. It was adorable. I'll never forget when the day came to a close, a moment we shared waiting for the bus to take us back to the hotel for the night. I watched her eyes get heavy as she leaned into my chest and I held her in an embrace. I'll never forget the "butterfly" feeling in my stomach. It was something that may seem like a simple hug, but knowing what I went through with past relationships to get to that moment with Brittany, meant everything to me. The kind of love I described to my mom that I wanted... I finally found it. Now that it’s been over 5 years together, those feelings have strengthened more than I ever thought imaginable. I am beyond grateful for my best friend and how much joy, light, and laughter she brings into my life. By seeing our story unfold, you can’t deny the amount of presence God has had in our relationship. I see His hand in everything we go through, and I am just so grateful.