Mackenzie and Matthew first met at Texas Tech University through Army ROTC, but their story goes much deeper than that. Both originally from San Antonio, their paths had quietly crossed for years before they truly connected. As freshmen in ROTC, they were in the same class but never spoke before the world shut down for COVID. During that time, Mackenzie’s family moved to Fort Sam Houston, where her sister, Mia, began attending Cole High School, the same school Matthew had graduated from. Coincidentally, Mia’s JROTC instructor, MSG Ross (who happened to be Matthew’s former instructor), kept asking if she knew him. Their first real conversation came when Mackenzie mentioned the connection through Mia, but it wasn’t until a year later—when both were invited to speak at Cole High School about ROTC and Texas Tech, that they truly hit it off. From there, casual conversations at ROTC events turned into real friendship, and by the following fall, a promise to grab a drink became their first official date at Twisted Root Burger. Church on Sundays, the South Plains Fair, and countless late-night talks soon followed, and by October 2022, they made it official. Even as Army life took them in different directions, distance only strengthened their bond. Looking back, they discovered they’d unknowingly been in the same places many times. From orientation and Red Raider Camp to the Army 10-Miler, just never at the same moment. It’s clear now that timing was everything. What once were small coincidences became proof that God (and maybe an invisible string) had been connecting them all along. Special shoutout to MSG Ross, who is their wedding DJ, and to Mia, for helping their story begin. Thank you for reading and thank you for joining us on our special day, we are so excited to celebrate with everyone!