the Beginning to our Forever

The journey to marriage began for us in 2016, on one hot July day in Memphis, TN, and is a love story of East Africa meeting West Africa. Unlike many traditional stories of couples finding love in college, or being childhood friends, or high school sweethearts our story is unique in that our undeniable bond formed after a chance interaction. When Janai laid eyes on Tastey at the start of her second year of teaching, when she walked into Hornlake Amoco to get gas. Tastey was working the register and unbeknownst to Janai, Tastey was the owner and was there that day just to fill in for an employee. They struck up a casual conversation in part because Tastey was wearing a Redskins t-shirt and Janai shared that her brother had just signed to play for them. Janai had thought nothing of the conversation until Tastey gave her his phone number right before she drove off. On the way home, Janai contemplated whether to call, and luckily she did. During their first phone conversation, they spoke for hours discovering quickly that they were both African, Janai from Nigeria, and Tastey from Ethiopia and held a deep pride for their African heritage. What was also telling in those first initial conversations is that Tatsey can hold a conversation and is not one who is short for words. With romantic dates, and casual conversations ranging from faith and God to life goals and family, our relationship blossomed and grew from “ I like you” to “I love you”. Our relationship is not without fault and the journey to wedding bells did not come without overcoming obstacles and hardships but through those times we held on to always choosing us. Now as we prepare to celebrate our love with all of you and enter the sacred covenant of marriage we are thankful for beyond measure that God willed our lives to cross paths.