Matt and I first met at a gathering I hosted in Johnson City, Tennessee. A mutual friend of ours, Cameron Weaver, invited him and we instantly connected. Introduced by friends, we talked for hours, discovering shared interests and humor that complemented one another. And the rest is history :)

On a rainy Saturday, Matt and I took a walk along the Creeper Trail in Abingdon, Virginia, with our dogs, Saison and Marcy. We stopped at a coffee shop to wait out the rain, enjoying iced coffees and pup-cups in the car. Once the sky cleared, we continued our walk. After about a mile, Matt sat on a bench but it was too wet for me to join him. Instead, he stood up to offer to pop my back. As I turned, he dropped to one knee and said, "These last six years have been the best years of my life. Marry me." I said yes, and his eyes lit up with pure joy. We kissed, we cried, and we embraced each other tightly while our two dogs rolled in mud, sensing our excitement. It was the perfect moment and so relatable to us.