We're getting married!

Our story begins with one of our closest friends. In 2016, Kim Graham knew that both of us were single and both had a love for CrossFit, so she began suggesting we would make a good match. We had met a few times before at another gym, but never spent any real time together. Then, we really met each other and talked a little during a CrossFit competition called Festivus. The next week was the Angelina Benefit Rodeo which I thought would make for a good first date chance. I was very nervous about contacting her but had some help from two Kims (Kim G and Kim Tinajero) who helped give me the push I needed. I reached out to her through text and then waited. I later found out she almost passed on the date, but luckily for me she said yes.

Heading into the fall of 2019, I had a plan for a proposal that I was sure was fool-proof. We had always had pictures taken in the fall and that was going to be my chance. I didn't want to press the issue so I waited, and waited….and waited. Then Megan said one night that she guessed I had gotten lucky and we weren't going to have pictures this year. So I started to make a plan B. I had a few plans going in my head, but none of them felt right. So, I found the contact info Lyndy Vines who has taken our pictures for the last few years. I explained to her what I wanted to do and she gave me an option of 2 different cancelations she had. One of the times was perfect and I jumped on it. Lyndy and I discussed a plan for the proposal and I called Megan and told her it was an early Christmas present since I knew how important the pictures were to her. I was so nervous that entire day. Time seemed to stand still, and the butterflies in my stomach made it impossible to relax. We drove out to the Vines’ place and took our normal couples pictures. Then Lyndy gave me the signal, and when Megan turned around, she was shocked. Secretly, she was shocked because I was on a knee and she thought because of our workout that morning that I had fallen down and needed medical attention. She then realized what was going on and her face was priceless. It's a day neither of us will forget.

On April 16, 2016, I competed in my very first CrossFit competition, Festivus, in Tyler, TX. I was feeling all the emotions. My support squad was there for me: Callie Mitchell, Mom, Carl, and Gram. They watched me suffer (remember that first WOD when my back gave out and I nearly died?) and cheered me on throughout the day. My CrossFit Lufkin family was there competing, too. I knew everyone already except Ryan. Well, I met him at the gym we both went to before CFL, but he was too good to talk to a new gal who couldn’t remember from day to day exactly what a clean and jerk was or how to warm up. So, our story begins here. After the competition, the group went to Chuy’s. Gram loved to pick out “cute guys” for me to talk to, so when Ryan stopped by to talk to me, she lit up. I made some small talk and went back to checking my phone (shocking, I know). The only thing I really knew about him was that everyone called him #RyanNeedsAFacebook. I made a lame joke about that, dismissed Gram’s lovey-dovey eyes and that was it. I went home and crashed for about a week. The following Saturday morning, I received a text from Kim Tinajero that said, “Hey, I gave Ryan from the gym your number. I hope that’s okay!” I was confused, but also excited since Gram had already planted that seed in my mind. An hour later, Ryan text me to ask if I wanted to go to dinner then to the rodeo with him. I had some bad luck in the dating department prior to this, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go through it all again yet. I knew nothing about him except that he didn’t use social media (weirdo), but I said yes anyway. When he came to pick me up, another friend had dropped by my house and gave him the third-degree before we left. We had a great time, then followed it up with an after-party with our CF friends, and the rest is history. I had no idea until weeks later that a little cupid (Kim Graham) had worked up this matchmaking plan for us. I’m sure glad I said yes that night.

Every year, I schedule fall pictures for us. The first year was somewhat of an accident—it was meant to be sister pictures for our parents, but I brought Ryan along to “take a picture or two because that would be nice!” Let me tell you, Ryan does not think taking pictures is nice. He does a great job, but he would rather be watching football or napping than taking fall pictures when it’s still 500 degrees outside. This year, I got a new job, and I stayed busy learning all the new things and missed every single fall photo sign up. I was bummed, but I knew Ryan would be happy off the hook. I broke the news to him and I won’t tell you his response (#censored). He seemed to be ecstatic. I moved on and set my sights on spring pictures instead. I was confused when he called me at school during my lunch break one afternoon to ask me if I was available to take pictures the following Saturday. What??? Of course, I questioned him. He said he knew how important they were to me and it would be my Christmas present. So, I scrambled to find something to wear. On the day of, we worked out and Ryan pulled his back. He laid in bed nearly all day and didn’t seem to care that I was panicking about my hair or what to wear. He told me to just wear what made me happy and he loved my hair any way I fixed it. So, I went to the salon and Mom helped me work on my hair. We met Lyndy Vines at her land like we usually do. We did some of our typical poses and silly walking pictures, then she had him run and grab me from behind a few times. She stopped me and said, “No, you go the other way this time.” When I turned around, he was down on one knee. My first thought was that he collapsed because of his back injury and he needed my help up! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought he was never going to be ready. He asked, and I replied with, “I don’t know what to say!” and he said, “You could say yes….” I’ll let you guess what I said.