It all started in August 2018, when Shawn showed up at my family’s vacation at Kerr Lake. Everyone swears I got up at 5 a.m. to go fishing just to catch his attention. I still deny this, but no one believes me. The truth is, I might have been just as interested in spending time with his dog, Goose, who quickly became mine too. Shawn made the first move and asked me out for our first date at Pierro’s Italian restaurant. Since his car did not have air conditioning, he borrowed Michael and Ashley Lee’s for the occasion. At the end of the night, he gave me a sweet side hug, and we were off to a pretty unforgettable start. Over the next few weeks, there were more dates, plenty of nervous butterflies, and some banter over our UNC vs. Duke rivalry. He once told me he would “wear a UNC shirt for me any day,” which should have been my first clue this was the real thing. Pretty soon, I brought him to Creedmoor for a boat day with my family and within minutes, he was right in the middle of our usual joking and teasing. Before long, I was spending time with his family, cheering at concerts together, and feeling instantly welcomed as part of the crew. For Shawn's birthday in September he got himself a new truck, with air conditioning, and the miles and memories began adding up. After six years of countless road trips between Raleigh and Fayetteville, mountain escapes, beach days, hockey games, baseball games, and everyday moments, I feel so grateful for everything we’ve shared. Shawn completely won over my family and all five of my brothers, and I had been lucky enough to find my place in his family too. In September 2024, during a trip to Louisville, Kentucky, Shawn pulled off the perfect surprise. Surrounded by excitement and love, he asked me to spend forever with him. We cannot wait to celebrate our next adventure, marriage, with all of you!