Carter and I were placed on the same Resident Assistant staff at Grand Canyon University. On move-in day, I had already gotten my room moved in and was sitting in our Resident Director’s office with my best friend and Maid of Honor, Elizabeth when Carter walked up to check in. We were introduced and began spending time together later that day along with the rest of our staff. We ended up finding ourselves next to each other every time our staff spent time together, always engaging in new conversations. Eventually, I convinced Carter and the rest of the staff to go country swing dancing with me. This is where he really swept me off of my feet. As the days went on, we became more and more infatuated with each other as we danced, talked, swam, and more. Carter had won me over incredibly quickly with his heart for God and for serving everyone around him.

As Carter and I were getting to know each other, we began getting lunch during his class break every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We sat in a little booth at a restraunt on GCU’s campus. One day, I was sitting at our booth working on homework while I was waiting for him to show up. I watched him walk in with the biggest smile on his face. He sat down and immediately asked me what I was doing the following week and expressed that he wanted to take me out for a date. Obviously, I was exstatic! After an excrutiatingly long week, the day finally came and it was the longest day of my life! The date was planned for 8:30pm and leading up to it, we each had classes and then cooking and hosting an event for our positions as resident assistants. As the event finally dwindled down, i ran up to my room at get ready with the help of my sweet besties and Maid of Honors, Emily and Elizabeth. Carter and I met in the lobby of our building when he walked me to the car he had parked out front. He opened the car door for me and then proceded to pull out flowers. My dad always told me to look for a man that will open car doors for you and buy you flowers so these were huge to me. Arriving at Bj’s, he walked me inside and we sat down for pizza cookies. We talked for hours about anything and everything, falling more and more each second. Getting home that night, each of us secretly knew that this was it.

Lake Pleasent has been a popular date spot for Carter and I throughout our relationship. We have a little spot that we go to and talk, paint, play games, and simply spend time together. On August 6th, Carter took me on a date to the lake and told me he would pack some snacks and a blanket for us. I had no idea what was coming! On our drive up, we even talked about getting engaged soon and what that would look like. Again, I was completely oblivious. We finally made it to the lake and grabbed our stuff and began walking to a little private cove. Together, we grabbed the blanket and began to set up our choesn spot. I turned around to move the blanket and when I turned back, Carter was on his knee and pulling a ring out. Smiling, he said, “Charis Raeann Parker, You are the love of my life, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?” I was so excited, I didn’t let him get anything else out, said yes, and kissed him. When I looked up, one of my best friends, and Maid of Honors, Elizabeth, was standing there taking pictures. She had been there for every step of Carter and I’s relationship so far, so it only made sense that she was there for the biggest day of our lives... yet. We celebrated at the lake, called some close friends and family, and got to enjoy the sunset as an egaged couple. Later that night, we drove to Joyride for a celebratory dinner and got to dream of our futures together and reminise on the way God’s hand had been there throughout the entire process.