Godfred: Our journey began in June 2023 when Lydia and I first connected through a WhatsApp group for students applying to schools and visas in the United States. Lydia: After I shared my visa interview experience in the group, he reached out to me privately for help with a form he needed to complete. At the time, it never even crossed my mind that I would be recounting that encounter as the beginning of our story. Godfred: Not long after, we both ended up at Lehigh University — Lydia pursuing her PhD and me pursuing my master’s degree. In those early days, Lydia spent most of her time in the research lab and rarely socialized, so the main place I saw her was at church on Sundays. Lydia: In my defense, I did go out. At least he saw me at church, lol. Godfred: I noticed her immediately. She was beautiful, calm, and intelligent. What started as simple check-ins through calls and messages gradually turned into deeper conversations and a meaningful friendship. Over time, that friendship became an important part of our lives. Lydia: In 2024, he gave me a teddy bear among other things for my birthday. Godfred: One she still keeps and loves till today! Lydia: From there, we started interacting more frequently than before- conversations were more frequent and lasted longer than previously. As we continued getting to know each other slowly and intentionally, our connection grew stronger with each passing day. Eventually he asked me out and I agreed. Some months down the line, he asked me to marry him and I said yes! Godfred & Lydia: Looking back now, it’s amazing to think that one message could lead to something so beautiful. What began as a simple request for help became a love story built on friendship, faith, patience, prayer, and God’s perfect timing. We are incredibly grateful to celebrate this journey with the people we love most