Hillarie and I met on one propitious summer evening at a mutual friend's party. I remember walking into the apartment and exchanging greetings with familiar faces. Then, I see Hillarie. After a quick visual reconnaissance, I determined that she was not engaged and was (hopefully) not a girlfriend of someone at the party. I went up to introduce myself and was immediately taken aback by how thick of a southern accent she had. At first, I thought she was joking or mocking someone, but then I soon came to realize that was in fact how she spoke. So we began talking, she had her close friend by her side the entire time we were at the party. I knew that we had a connection when her friend accidentally fell out of her chair and we both immediately started laughing at her. So, I decided to shoot my shot. I invited her to go to the PGA tournament that Memphis was hosting the next day thinking it would make me look cool to offer her "my company's tickets" to the tournament. I knew that it would be over 100 degrees outside the next day, so I wasn't really sure what she would say. Without hesitation she said yes, and her friend (the one who fell out of the chair) wanted to come too. I figured, if there is a girl who is willing to come watch live golf and sweat in 100 degree heat, she must be a catch. And sweat she did. I remember being both impressed and amazed about how willing she was to be sweating as much as she was on a first date. It was on that first date that I realized Hillarie is kind, considerate, and easy going. The next date was at a Redbirds game (also sweating) and we talked the entire nine innings without realizing it. Then, two dates turned into six, one year turned into three, and trips to Jonesboro turned into trips to New Zealand. Now, here we are getting married.

Fast forward to October of 2017... David and I had been dating for four months, and my school was hosting a Trunk-or-Treat. I was dressed up as Ms. Frizzle that Halloween and I decorated my car to look like a giant mouth. David left early from work to help me pass out candy from the trunk. I asked him what his costume would be, and all he said was that he was coming as the guy from "The Mask," except without the mask. So, I thought to myself, "Surely he wouldn't just show up in an orange suit." Lo and behold, I see David waltzing his way towards me in a bright burnt orange suit with four buttons on the jacket that he had bought at Goodwill because "it was tailored just right" for him. The suit had apparently become "famous" (self-proclaimed) over the years, however I had only seen it make an appearance in old photos, until that Halloween. But, here he was, dressed as the mask missing the most vital aspect of the costume. After we ran out of candy, we went to eat at Central BBQ downtown in full costume where several of the wait staff "complimented" David on his suit and asked who I was. After dinner, we took a drive down Mud Island to take in some of the Halloween scenery. While driving back, David looked over at me and said, "Hey Hillarie... I love you" for the first time.