I told Seth we were going down for a fun weekend and to visit with friends, but, admittedly, I only had my mind on meeting this one girl named Isabella. If you ask me, Bella and I had talked a bunch in the week leading up to me going down to Auburn. If you ask her, she may not say the same. Regardless, she obviously liked me enough to hang out with me and let me take a picture with her in Skybar, which was sent to my mom with no context except for telling my mom I was going to marry her. I’m not sure the feelings were mutual at that time... (Now that I think back on it, it could have been the shirt that I was wearing that said “Institute of the Sexually Gifted” that made her hesitant). Regardless, I must have done something right because 2 weeks later she was flying 2000 miles to California to come see me (I think it was the shirt). Our friend Amber, who introduced us, and many others thought she was crazy. And she certainly was. I mean, this girl had met me once, and flew all the way across the country to see me? (It was the shirt I'm telling you). My friend, Jake, thought I paid a model to come and pose in pictures for me. And I then I asked her to be my girlfriend, after knowing each other for 2 weeks, and she said yes! Our first visit in California also came with a few bumps. She flew out on a Friday and she had her “Head to Toe” exam (a nursing school exam that was necessary for her continuation of the program) on Monday and unfortunately her flight was canceled. Luckily, she was able to find a flight that left Monday morning, and because of the 3 hour time difference, she would still make her big exam! Bella landed at 8, got back to Auburn at 10. This was just in time for a beauty nap after her long, hard, weekend in California, before her big exam at 12! Great plan, right? Wrong. Despite her friend Ella’s best efforts of banging on her door and throwing tennis balls at her window, Bella missed her big exam. Not good. Thankfully, she was able to make it up the next day. I tell that story not just for fun, but because taking risks and making sacrifices to see each other became quite the common theme in our relationship. We certainly paid the price of those risks sometimes, but, to me, no risk was not worth every second that I got to spend with Bella. Just as quick as they had started, the summer festivities were over. The fall semester of school, with her at Auburn Nursing and me at the Naval Academy, started. Long distance, 1000 miles away, begun. And the traveling begun… From Annapolis, to Auburn, and everywhere in between. Just please don’t ask our parents how much we spent on plane tickets and Airbnb’s. (We were both A-List Southwest members by the end of the year…) Every chance we got away from our busy schedules, we would fly to see each other. Every new place brought new memories together, and continued to foster growth in our evolving lives. Then the summer rolled back around and we were stuck to each other's hip again. And we traveled a bunch more! June 2024 is about the time that I ordered the ring! We did so much that summer! We went to the beaches in Alabama and Florida. We danced on rooftops, explored wineries, and rode catamarans in Greece. We paddle boarded in the Mediterranean Sea. I Taught Bella how to deep sea fish (with the help of Mr.Scott and Mrs.Linda Cherones). And had many more adventures. I found out quickly that, as those that hangout with Isabella on a regular basis will tell you, everyday is quite an adventure with her. Pretty much all of our time together is spent trying fit a million and one things into everyday, and I love it. Getting the opportunity to love this girl and her family has been the best times of my life! She has taken me places and pushed my growth mentally, physically, and spiritually so much. We are so incredibly thankful for all of the amazing people in our lives, and we really hope to see you at the wedding in June 2026! Here's to counting down the days!

The day I met James was June 23rd, 2023. At the time, I had promised myself I would focus solely on nursing school, with one clear goal in mind: to graduate, become a registered nurse, and work hard toward my dreams. That plan to focus on myself quickly came to a halt when I met my soon-to-be husband—James. As he mentioned in his story, he did a whole lot of talking, and I did a whole lot of ignoring—but he was persistent. We eventually met at his buddy’s house, and my first impression of James was him trying to “help” his friend Seth fix a grill. (I knew he was just nervous and pretending to care about that grill.) We ended up talking the entire night—something I never expected. That night, I really got to know James. He told me about his two amazing brothers, his wonderful parents, and his time at the Naval Academy. Right away, I could tell he wasn’t just some guy who thought I was cute and wanted a shot. He was a man of ambition, integrity, and work ethic—all traits I had always wanted in a husband. The very next morning, he asked if I wanted to go to breakfast with his older brother, Dom—something I definitely wasn't expecting. I remember thinking, “I just met this guy, and he already wants me to meet his brother?” But of course I went, and I’m so thankful I did. Later, I made the decision to fly out to California to visit him during his training. That’s really when our journey began. We grew close quickly, but it wasn’t scary—it felt safe and familiar, something entirely new to me. Of course, as James mentioned, not everything was sunshine and rainbows. My flight home ended up getting canceled, and even though we had only been dating for one day, that became our first real challenge. We knew early on that distance would be one of our biggest struggles (or so we thought). But anytime we had the time and means to see each other, we did—whether it was just 24 or 48 hours, we made it happen. I’m so incredibly grateful for every one of those visits, because with each one, we grew closer—learning each other’s quirks, preferences, and values. We were already beginning to navigate life together, and it was an amazing experience—one we’ll continue even after we’re married. We traveled often, and one of our most special trips was to Greece—the first place James ever visited outside the country (not a bad first stop, right?). That trip sealed it for us. We fell in love with traveling, but even more in love with each other. Every new place was another opportunity to create memories and deepen our connection. As time went on, James and I began to bring out the best in each other. I picked up some of his incredible qualities, and he started picking up some of mine—like my love for massages and Poppi drinks (both of which he’s now obsessed with!). James always told me that good things come to those who wait. Despite the challenges of long distance, I knew that since I was graduating a year before him, I could take the opportunity to move closer. And that’s exactly what I did. Now, we’re living just 30 minutes apart, and our relationship has grown even stronger. James is truly one of the kindest and most amazing people I’ve ever met. He has one of the biggest hearts I know—something he definitely got from his parents. He has never once failed to show up for me. He’s never made me question his love, and I’m so incredibly proud to call him my soon-to-be husband. I’m thankful every day for the man he is and the man he’s becoming. I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Cheers to the future Latonas!