We were both starting our sophomore year at The Univeristy of Tennessee, Knoxville. I was a Resident Assistant in South Carrick Hall and Peyton was a Resident Assistant in North Carrick Hall. We met at RA training and instantly became fast friends. Peyton would always sit with me during all of my desk shifts and help me assist the residents and with my calculus homework. One night he drove me all the way home to Nashville when I was really sick despite knowing he had to get up super early the next day at 4 AM in order to make it back for his RA shift. Even when I ignored him to love on Dolly (the best Bichon 🐩 ever), he waited patiently to make sure I was okay. At that point, I knew he was a keeper. :)

Peyton and I were going on our weekly date night; he had planned for us to go walk around Sequoyah Hills Park close to UT's campus. He said that we needed to find places to take pictures for his graduation pictures. I immediately knew something had to be up; Peyton never cares where we take pictures (or if we take many at all). We were walking along the trails and got to this spot where you can see a pretty rock face and the Tennessee River. He had me turn around and face the water for a picture, and when I turned back around he was down on one knee!