We’re getting married!

It all started at the FFA State Convention our sophomore year of high school. We didn’t know it at the time, but a little thing like AirDropping our Snapchats (because we all thought we were so cool doing that) would turn into something much bigger. Two years later, during junior year, Justin decided to slide up on one of my Snapchat stories and called me cute. And just like that… our love story officially began. My first impression of Justin was that he was such a genuine friend — someone easy to talk to, and the kind of guy who was always there for his family and friends. (And, of course, I noticed that smile.) Justin says his first impression of me was that I was sweet, kind, and had a heart that instantly made him want to know more. Our first date was simple but special. Justin drove to my house, met my family (nervously, of course), and we just spent the day together. From that point on, even with the challenges of long distance, we found every way possible to be together. We were inseparable. Over the years, we’ve shared so many adventures — from traveling to Indianapolis when I earned my National FFA Degree, to celebrating Justin’s 21st birthday in New York. One of our funniest memories was the day we tried to do 23andMe genetic testing. We went to Justin’s mom’s house to hang out and do the test, but right before we started, his mom handed Justin some freshly picked strawberries from her garden. Without thinking, he started eating them — completely forgetting that you’re not supposed to eat or drink for 30 minutes before the test. So, of course, we had to wait and start the whole process all over again. Classic Justin moment! And then came the proposal — a moment straight out of a dream. During a cruise stop in Belize, we went snorkeling on the reef. Afterward, Justin kept insisting we take more pictures, while I was over it and told him we already had plenty of good ones. What I didn’t realize was that he was trying to find someone who spoke English so they could capture the moment he was about to propose. Once he finally did, he showed them the ring in secret — and before I knew it, he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. It was absolutely perfect — the sun, the ocean, and the man who had once AirDropped his Snapchat now asking me to spend forever with him.