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Technically we met online but that doesn't sound very romantic. We spoke for the first time on the phone on a Monday in early January. I was driving back from a dentist appointment and was late to work because I was enjoying it so much. Chandler came to visit me in Greenville soon after and I was so happy to meet him officially that I accidentally hugged him twice, once when he first came in and again 30 seconds later. I remember thinking how nice his smile was and how absolutely awkward of a move I just pulled. He took me to lunch, we went hiking at Paris Mountain and finished the day off with some sushi. We spent about 8 hours together that day but from the moment I opened the door I knew I had found someone rare. We have been on many adventures since then; some highlights for me have been visiting Boone and the Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking Table Rock, cooking meals together, and of course, Christmas morning 2023.

I was just about to get off the singles app I was on when I got a notification from Maddy. She had beautiful kind eyes and a lovely smile and seemed to have many of the same Christian values I had so I asked her out the following Saturday. We talked a bit on the phone before going out and had a lot in common which excited me! I drove up to her place in Greenville, knocked on the wrong door, and eventually got in. I was smitten with her warm smile and yes, she did hug me twice (no complaints lol). We went out for a delicious Mexican lunch, hiked Paris Mountain, and raced each other up a set of bleachers. When she held my hand, I knew we had something special. I asked her to marry me on Christmas day of 2023 and am so excited to spend the rest of my life with someone who loves and challenges me as much as she does 😊