Let's get M A R R I E D !!!

Spring Break 2019: We had an expectation that we would spend the week engaging with refugee communities, but had no idea that we would come back to Texas having mutual interests in the person that we would one day marry! Abi initially signed up with a dear friend, but after a last-minute cancellation, she questioned whether or not to go. B decided to go on the trip just three days prior to departure after learning that the Spring Training trip with his dad was going to fall through. We didn't know it then, but that was the Lord's first gracious act in our relationship. Abi laid eyes on B for the first time as he walked into our now friends, Liz & Cooper's home the night before we departed to Clarkston, GA. B came in late and sat down in a rocking chair by the door where we later discovered that we were practically neighbors back home. Though our paths may have crossed unknowingly before, His perfect timing for us to meet was Thursday, March 7, 2019. From the Barstool Sports reference uttered out of Abi's mouth during our first early-morning breakfast in Georgia, B knew this girl was cool. Of course, he had recognized her beauty a few days prior, seeing the quiet confidence she carried herself with. The rest of that week we bonded over Rangers baseball and A-Rod & J-Lo's new relationship, and B made sure to let Abi know that he "knew" Chris Harrison of The Bachelor franchise. We shared laughs (and tears) over pranks, Nepali dalle khursani peppers, and trips to Refuge Coffee Co. Between laughs, Abi will tell you that she saw B's heart and commitment to the Lord, his care for new friends, his sincere interest in learning about new cultures, and his always-happy disposition. His breakfast skills didn't go unnoticed either. B will tell you that he saw the compassion of Christ shine through Abi, her love for underserved communities, and how second-nature it was for her to care for kiddos. Man, what a week!

Back in College Station, B did what any good Christian guy would do; he asked Abi to The Brew. That afternoon led to the discovery of our mutual love of Sonic corndogs and piqued further interest in the person across the table. So naturally, B asked Abi to hang out again the next night too. Over the next few weeks, we continued to go on dates (Abi insists they weren't dates), until she finally asked "Well, what is this?" To that, B expressed his interest in continuing to pursue Abi; she liked that answer. We continued to go on *agreed-upon* dates until B worked up the nerve to ask Abi to be his girlfriend. Easter weekend was good for a number of reasons that year. Our first year of dating was full of fun picnic dates, discipleship from every angle, and concluded with a global pandemic. We celebrated relational healing together, grew closer despite a long-distance summer, and learned to build a strong, Christ-honoring relationship that truly cared for the person by our side. We went on a few beach trips, got lost in Sam Houston National Forest for 9 hours, and laid claim to a new home under construction but never ended up paying for it, so we think they sold it to somebody else. Year two has had more masks, more at-home meals, more board games, and zero forests. Abi moved in with the sweetest family from church, we babysat their son each week, Abi surprised B with three parties for his 21st, B started a woodworking Instagram, and Abi tried Whole 30. This year has been a different kind of adventure (we never thought we would help potty train as college students), but there's no doubt that our hard work and the Lord's faithfulness are apparent in and through our relationship. Year two also came with a lot of big decisions! Abi graduated and decided to stay for grad school to pursue a Multicultural and Urban Education degree. Brandon finished undergrad, started his master's, and will be starting law school in the Fall. That brings us to now! Man, what a time!

If you've ever met Abi, then you'll know three things about her: she has a black belt (and is ready to WHOOP Brandon if he ever gets too annoying), she lived in Italy for 10 weeks, and she LOVES the beach! So when COVID hit, we had nothing to really do in College Station, but the closest beach was still two hours away. Putting our thinking caps together, we discussed building a quarantine beach at some dear friends' property in town. Well...that was going to be quite expensive, so we tabled that idea. When B decided he was ready to propose, he for sure knew he wanted to do it on Easter weekend and celebrate with family and friends at Declaration Church (B asked Abi to be his girlfriend Easter weekend, 2019). Unsure of exactly how to pop the big question, by grace alone B received a stroke of genius! B discussed his idea with our friends, rallied the troops (thankful for friends with wholesale sand suppliers), and set out to build Abi's tropical oasis in College Station, TX. When the day finally came, Abi thought we were meeting with our premarital counseling couple for a nice dinner. After a few "wrong turns," Abi had a strong idea that it was FINALLY HAPPENING but kept quiet until she knew 100% for sure. Arriving at the property, we made it through the cattle gates, picked up flowers along the way, and navigated our way through the mesquite trees to the future ahead of us. Thanks to wonderful friends and family, we lined the end of the path with lemongrass plants and tiki torches, a set taken straight out of Survivor. At this point, Abi kicked off her sandals and stood in the ice-cold kiddie pool, knowing full well that she was walking out of the water as an engaged woman. B dropped to a knee, forgot to wash her feet, but as you can expect, she said YES! Man, what a day!