As many of you know, Jordan and I grew up in Mercy Church, formerly known as South Aiken Church of God. We have no idea when the first time we actually met was because our families have been friends for our entire lives. LITERALLY! You could say Jordan loved me at first sight in the nursery while he was involved with the Royal Rangers. Haha Just kidding. There are many shared memories of camping trips at Pastor Fox's farm and at Table Rock State park as well. Several years ago, right before my freshman year of college, we both volunteered with a camp for children known as RFKC, that my Aunt Colleen served for many years. I am pretty sure we have a video of us competing for the fastest high ropes course time. We won't say who won! On this trip there was no love at first sight or even the thought of us being together. Jordan was just a friend from church who was serving with us! Nothing else. Of course, when I graduated and moved back from college that mindset shifted. At church one Sunday morning, I heard what I thought and still today believe God speak to me saying "what about Jordan?". As I watched him serving offering with the biggest smile on his face. Immediately, I thought no Jordan is almost like an older brother and there is no way he would be interested in me. However, the thought did not go away! I began to watch how he treated others and the more I was around him the more I liked him. Jordan had been involved with our college and career class, called Standpoint for some time and I was new to attending the Wednesday night bible studies. If you ask either of us, we both would say we were interested in each other at the Standpoint Christmas party way back in 2018. One of the first times we ever started hanging out with just each other was when Jordan was asked to build a wooden cross for vacation bible school. Naturally, I was eager to learn how to use a drill from such a handy man! ;) Shortly after that in August 2019, his neice Zoeigh invited me to her 7th birthday party. Jordan offered to ride together in his 1991 Blazer. It was that night that I completely fell in love with him. I remember Whitney (Jordan's sister in love) saying "Awh a birthday party was where Will and I had our first date too!" It was in that moment where I realized this was the beginning of something really sweet. At standpoint, I shared about the opportunity of bringing others along this year to the same camp we went to years prior. Of course, Jordan signed up to volunteer but not just to hang out with the kiddos all week. He was wanting to get to know me more!

After making the long trip back to Aiken, SC from PA, we dropped Jordan off at his home. A few minutes later I get a text asking if we made it to the house safely. Then he asked if I wanted to go on a walk with him tomorrow. Naturally, I said yes and we walked all around the neighborhood. The whole time I was waiting for him to tell me he was interested in dating. As we were nearing the end, he asked if I would like to go on a "D-A-T-E" with him. Yes he spelled it out!! In my head I tried to figure out what he just spelled and quickly said I would love too! On 8-22-2019, we went on our very first date to Romas, an Italian restaurant in Aiken, SC. We had a wonderful time walking around the neighborhood after and getting to know each other more!

I call this the waiting period. In our world a whole lot changed for everyone. We actually started dated during a global pandemic. I remember trying to buy meat at Food Lion with Whitney for Jordan's birthday that year and seeing the shelves empty! 2020 was the year I started my first job as a Recreational Therapist at a psychiatric hospital for children. It was there that my heart for children in the foster care system and traumatic histories has grown tremendously. Jordan continued to work as a Product Engineer at ASCO, now known as Emerson. Throughout our dating he has always known how to fix just about anything! In the first years of dating, we enjoyed snowboard trips, monopoly nights with friends, hiking in Hitchcock woods, and adventuring abandoned places we would find. In 2021, I was accepted into my dream school at MUSC for Occupational Therapy Doctoral program. Jordan and I decided to date long distance which was very hard to do especially with the amount of studying required. There was lots of missed family gatherings and moments with him. Facetimes became a regular! Every time we would see each other again it was like coming "home" to a safe place. We enjoyed every moment we could with each other. Those times were special looking back. In May 2022, Jordan and his family members went in on buying a salon, now called Refresh Salon and Spa and have been busy creating an upscale indoor yard sale, known as the Graniteville Marketplace. Early on in January, we celebrated Jordan passing his CDL license test. I am so proud of him for creating his new business Carolina Tree and Landscape, LLC. As you can tell he is a very busy hardworking man! In May of this year, we celebrated the long 2 years of didactic work for me being completed and I received my white coat from MUSC! And then I left for a trip to Romania with my local church in Charleston! The day after we got back, I started clinical fieldworks in Beaufort. Jordan would come visit and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and areas with me! This summer in July he surprised me by getting down on one knee and proposing! I couldn't have been more thrilled! In August of this year, I moved back to Aiken and started my last Level 2 fieldwork in Adult Inpatient Rehab at Walton Rehab. I KNOW what a summer to remember! Now, I get to be back home with my family, friends, and new fiance! It truly feels like a dream!

Man did I make it hard to be surprised! All the way up to the last second I asked Jordan if today was the day! He would continually tell me that it was soon but not this weekend. This summer I was on my rotation in Beaufort, SC. After telling my mother a week prior that I wanted to stay to enjoy the last couples weeks on the beach. Jordan had to come up with a plan to get me home. He used his older sister, Brittni's new house as a "housewarming party". At first I was suspicious but after hearing Jordan talk about it I believed him. The day of the proposal I got my hair done at the salon and Jordan picked me up. He told me we were going to Manual's Bread Cafe to eat a lunch and go for a quick walk (in the 100 degree heat) before we go to the housewarming. I debated for a split 2 seconds that morning of what I was going to wear. Thank goodness it was a pretty pink dress! As we started driving over, he seemed to be lost at one point and then parked the furthest he possibly could. We had ridden bikes in the area and actually parked in the same exact spot. When we got out of the car I thought I saw a small box in his pocket but told myself it was just his wallet. We started walking in the blistering heat and all I could think was he really isn't proposing today. As we got closer, people on the same walking path coming from the opposite direction were somewhat staring. When we got to the shaded part under a small gazebo I saw one rose pedal. My first thought was oh my word I cannot believe it! Sure enough he got down on one knee and got straight to the point. He said "Well! Lauren, Will you marry me?". And of course I said YES! Afterward we celebrated with family and friends at his older sisters new home. It was the perfect day!