On September 5th, 2016, I was working a long closing shift at our local Outback Steakhouse as a hostess. Towards the end of the night, our routine was to close down most of the tables and leave only a few open so we could start to shut down the restaurant. There were only a few staff left in the dining room when two gentleman, who I've never seen before, walked in asking for a table for dinner. I was never the type to believe in the whole "love at first sight" deal, but I definitely knew there was something when Tristen and I first made eye contact that night. None of the tables by the host stand were open, but Lord knows I sat Tristen and his friend as close as possible. Throughout the night, Tristen and I couldn't help but look at each other. They finally finish their meal and go to leave the restaurant. I was sure that Tristen would ask for my number or say something, but when he came up to the host stand, all he asked for was a toothpick, and then they leave. I was crushed and so mad at myself for not saying something before he left. About 5 minutes go by when his friend walks back into the restaurant. My first thought was he must have left something at the table, but to my surprise he told me his friend (Tristen) was too nervous to talk to me and that he wanted me to add him on SnapChat. I laughed at the idea of any man being nervous to talk to me, but nevertheless, I took Tristen's information from his friend. As soon as my shift ended, I immediately go to my phone to message him. After that night, Tristen and I talked at every chance we had; we hung out and went on dates at every opportunity and needless to say, we have been inseparable since.

Hurricane Ian hits, and Tristen has been so busy with work and cleaning up the property that it was a week or so before I had gotten to see him. To say I was missing him was an understatement. He finally has a free day and I jump on it. It was a typical fall Saturday for Tristen and I - football was on, snacks were in our bellies and dinner plans were underway. For those who don't know, Tristen is part of his agency's SWAT team, which has caused him to have call-outs at all hours of the day. While we were watching football, he gets a message that he is needed for a SWAT call-out and immediately apologizes that he will have to leave. He asks me to wait for him to get back but he wasn't sure how long the call would take. He has been at call-outs for 6 hours at a time before, so I tell him that I will just see him another time even though I was devastated that our first day back together was now ruined. He apologizes again and leaves. I start to gather my things, and put away the food that was to be cooked for dinner when Tristen texts me and lets me know that the suspect came out of his house and he would be headed back to his house soon. So, with that information, I start to cook dinner and not long after Tristen walks back into the house. He asks me if I wanted to walk out to watch the sunset in the pasture across from his house - something we do all the time since it is the most perfect view. He walks outside and I tell him I will meet him out there as soon as I get the chicken in the oven. I walk out and the sun is starting to go down so we hurry to get inside the fence before we miss it. We sit and talk for a while, and for some odd reason we start to talk about how horrible my vision is. For those who don't know, I am legally blind in both my eyes...don't ask how I still have a license. Tristen starts joking with me that I can't see the cows that are in the pasture in front of me, and he asks me to try and count them. As I'm squinting my heart out trying to see these cows, I laugh and go to turn to ask him why I'm counting the cows in the first place and that's when I saw him on his knee with the most perfect ring. After me saying, "Oh my gosh! Are you sure??? Is this really happening??" about a million times, I finally say the easiest "yes" I have ever said in my life. And now we get to celebrate that "yes" with all the people we love, and in that, we feel SO blessed.