"I think you should meet my UPS man." - Karyna, my sister - who pulled every string perfectly. She always has known me better than anyone. I said no. Months went on of her bringing him up every time I came to town. Soon my parents and siblings and everyone was in on the gig, joking with me that I'd run into the UPS man some day when in Mobridge. Karyna even planned deliveries for days I might be in town. Ella brought me up in conversation with him and even hung my picture on their door. Karyna tagged me in extra Facebook posts when I'd come to town. She was really putting in the work. I kept saying no, until she sent me a photo of Ella standing shyly by a handsome man dressed in brown with a smile that could knock the wind right out of you. Ok, maybe I do need to meet him. ;) Months passed. One particular weekend I headed out to Mobridge with my parents to see my sister and her family. The kids had a church program, and Karyna had a plan. She sat us in the same row that Bailley's family typically sits in. Bailley did not attend church this day. After church, my mom needed my dad and I to run into Dollar General to pick out candy for the kids' gift. I was annoyed we had to stop. I stood in the candy aisle, picked out three items and quickly stomped out of the row... running right into someone at the end of the aisle. There was NO way this was happening to me. As you can imagine it was just like a scene from a rom-com. I ran right into him, practically tackling him and Nathan, I looked up and saw the UPS man my sister had deemed as "the one" and I am certain my eyes about popped out of my skull. I said "I am so sorry," "You're fine" is all he said. I panic left, found my dad and told him "THE UPS MAN IS HERE." He of course wanted to find him and say hello to which I said no! We checked out, got in the car and freaked out all the way to Karyna's house. My heart was pounding the entire way. We got to Karyna's and re-told the entire scene. Karyna was SO mad that I hadn't talked more. She instantly messaged him on Facebook to tell him the girl he had met in the candy aisle was her sister and that "Ella approves." And that is how I became the "candy aisle girl" and met the love of my life.

After I linebacker tackled Bailley in Dollar General on December 11th, nothing happened. He added me on Facebook in January (which I freaked out about) yet nothing happened still. My niece Ella had turned 6 and was hosting a birthday party on June 17th 2023. Karyna told me to come out and said she could use the help. The night before, my mom and I decided last minute to go. So, off to Mobridge we went to help with a 6-year-old birthday. I walked out to the car to grab something, to be met by a little car with dark windows and Bailley and Nathan jumping out. I went inside to find Karyna wearing the biggest "gotcha" smile. I told her I was not going outside. She rolled her eyes and said, "Oh yes you are." Bailley ended up staying at the birthday party, he mostly talked to my mom while I played with the kids in the yard. I was pitching to Nathan when Bailley decided to come out and join us. We played with the kids, as if we were also kids. And my mom and my sister gawked from afar secretly taking paparazzi pictures and raising their eyebrows up and down making googly eyes and kissy faces at me. I shared skittles with Nathan and learned that Bailley doesn't like ice cream (so far, that is the only flaw I have found.) We ended the day with a squirt gun and water balloon fight, and Bailley and Dave threw Karyna and I in the pool. At the end, Bailley and I talked for about 10 minutes, the most conversation we'd had all day. I guess that is all it took because on the drive home that night I got a text saying "Hey, this is Bailley, it was nice to meet you today!" I found out later that he talked to Karyna first, making sure that I wasn't seeing anyone else. He asked if "Ella still approved." Always a gentleman. My favorite thing about this day is that the Bailley I met at a 6-year-olds birthday party is the same exact man I know today. He was himself from the second I met him. He is playful and kind, gentle and fun. He is a mysterious blend of shy and outgoing at the same time and he smiles his crinkle-eye, full face smile more than anyone I have ever met.

Bailley and I texted for two weeks and it was going great. If you know my family, you know we are a big family that loves fun and is VERY outgoing. You also may know that we spend the Fourth of July in Mobridge at the Sitting Bull Stampede Rodeo. We have a BLAST every year -- my dad's even made the paper during the rodeo clown's dancing contest and my brothers and nephew Billy have won more carnie goldfish than should be allowed. We just have so much fun. Well, this particular year the entire family was in Karyna's front yard having a cookout. We were all decked out in Red White and Blue. A UPS truck turned down the road. It didn't take long before EVERYONE started shouting. I will never forget my sister-in-law, Wendy literally flagging him down. Waving and shouting in the streets while wearing American Flag bib overalls. It is absolute chaos, and this man really walks over to the yard with my entire family, whom he has never met before. They razz him and tell him to stay (which he couldn't while working) he only waved and said hello to me, but I never heard the end of it after he left. I decided later to invite him along to the rodeo that night... if we hadn't scared him away. To my surprise, he and Nathan showed up. I don't hardly remember the actual rodeo that night. We talked through the entire thing. Shout out to my flag bib wearing SIL for making us take a picture together that night too. After the rodeo, we went to the carnival. Nathan and I rode rides as Bailley stood in line FOREVER for the one ride that Nathan wanted to go on most, then allowed me to go with him. (Another thing I love about Bailley, he always puts others first.) My family ditched me, on purpose, so that Bailley had to drive me home. The next night, I invited him and Nathan again and they showed up. This time it was the actual 4th, so fireworks followed the rodeo. SIL Wendy snapped a photo of us sitting under the fireworks and leaned up to us saying "Fireworks aren't just up in the sky this year." ....She was right. ;) My favorite part: I know it is another cheesy, rom-com moment, but fourth of July fireworks are kind of our thing now. Each year I am transported back to our "first date" that my entire family third-wheeled. My Grandma Louise always used to tell me, "When you know, you know." I never believed it until I looked over at his face while the sky was lit up with fireworks and Toby Keith rang through the speakers. I knew it right there.