How We Met I had no idea why I was living in San Angelo, but God had a plan. We met at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop during a gathering with mutual friends, and I remember thinking she was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. I spotted her from the other end of the table and couldn’t stop looking her way. We became friends during the time we both lived in San Angelo, but it wasn’t until after I moved back home to Dallas that we really started to click. That following November, Mary drove to Dallas along with some of our shared friends, where we reconnected around a campfire. After that night, we couldn’t stop talking, and it became clear that God was drawing us closer. Falling in Love After multiple road trips and months of being committed to each other, Mary and I finally went on our first official date. We went to dinner at “Fiori,” an Italian restaurant, in Lewisville, Texas. The rest of that summer, Mary and I would drive back and forth to visit each other. We did everything together, from home-cooked meals to driving around my old ’55 Chevy. Falling in love wasn’t one big moment; it was a hundred small ones that kept adding up. It was in the little things, the way everything disappeared when we were together, like we were the only two people on earth. Mary fit into my family so naturally, which was proof that she was perfect. Laughing through game nights, joining in on the jokes, and stepping right into our traditions. And the way her family welcomed me solidified that we were meant to be. We learned to love each other in the quiet, everyday way, like reading our Bibles side by side, cooking meals with each other, and watching sunsets together. The Distance After the first summer together, living four hours apart, Nate began going to school at UNLV in Las Vegas, which became a much greater distance and barrier for us to overcome.  We continued to be intentional, booking flights and planning visits. We love to watch movies over FaceTime and cook our favorite meals together. Although this was (and still is) difficult for us, it has made our love grow so much stronger! We are so excited to finally get married and not only live near each other, but live with each other and create our home together. God was using us to teach one another how to love with patience, commitment, and closeness to Jesus. Being apart has taught me to always be grateful for Nate and to never take our love for granted. The Proposal Mary came to visit me in Vegas for a week that summer after she graduated, and I had the whole plan ready. Earlier that day, I dunked her in the pool, which meant she had to wash her hair. Then I ran to Walmart to grab nail polish remover because she didn’t bring any and wanted to repaint her nails. I was ready to do whatever it took to keep the plan on track. I even picked out her outfit and told her we were going to watch the sunset. When we got to the spot, I had an ice chest set up ahead of time with a bottle of our favorite champagne, two glasses, and strawberries with a jar of Nutella. Mary was so shocked and excited that she was jumping up and down with joy. Later, I treated her to a nice steak dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, sitting in front of the Bellagio fountains, where we celebrated one of the best nights together. I know God exists because He gave me you!