Although our hometowns are only 30 minutes apart, I did not meet Eric until after college when we were both living in St. Louis. Some would say it was meant to be :) It was the summer of 2020 when I moved into the same apartment complex that Eric was living in. We kept running into each other around the building, but both of us were too shy to start a conversation. Luckily, our mutual friend, Rebecca, officially introduced us in early 2021. After meeting, Eric and I began exchanging text messages. I grew curious to learn more about him but was hesitant knowing I would soon be leaving St. Louis for a travel nurse assignment. Eric, however, had a different idea. He was adamant about taking me out on a date, and after much persistence, I finally agreed. We went for a walk through Soulard ending with a view of the sunset on our apartment rooftop. I remember being so nervous beforehand, but quickly learned how incredible Eric is. I knew that walk would be the first of many! After countless dinner dates, concerts, and shared bottles of wine, we made it official on November 8th, 2021. As I was dropping Eric off at the airport to go referee a game, he told me he did not want to get on that plane without me officially being his girlfriend…nothing like a little pressure to help me say yes! A few weeks into our relationship, I accepted the first of what would be two travel nurse assignments. First up was Arizona, followed by Colorado. Eric was a trooper and agreed to long distance without hesitation. Early on, our relationship consisted of lots of late-night phone calls, FaceTimes, and plane rides. However, that also brought so many great memories exploring both Arizona and Colorado together. The long weekends (of hiking, skiing, pool days, road trips) with Eric visiting are some of my favorites! Although the long distance was tough, I quickly realized that what we had was special. Once my travel nursing ended, I moved back to St. Louis to be closer to Eric. We both love living in the same city again and are so excited to start this new chapter together!

On April 7th, I was boarding a flight home after spending a week in Dublin, Ireland, with five of my best friends. During that long flight, I decided I couldn't wait any longer—I wanted to ask Taylor to marry me. Several weeks prior, I had already checked the box of picking out the ring. Now, I just needed to decide where to propose. I thought of all the meaningful places for the both of us, and the Missouri Botanical Garden immediately came to mind. The garden had started to become pretty special to us and our relationship, thanks to a Christmas gift from Taylor's parents—a membership to the gardens. The gift encouraged us to visit more often, turning it into a place we could go on walks and escape the craziness of everyday life. Our frequent visits always led us to a particular bench, nestled in a secluded area of the gardens. This bench became "our spot", a place where we could sit, talk for hours, and watch the sunset. The day of the proposal, I had everything planned to perfection. I suggested a visit to the gardens, knowing Taylor would happily agree. What I didn't plan for was us arriving 15 minutes before closing time... Oops. As we quickly strolled through the familiar paths, I led Taylor to our special bench. I started to speak of our journey thus far together—the memories, adventures, how much I loved her and what she truly meant to me. I then got down on one knee and asked Taylor to marry me. After repeatedly asking if I was joking, Taylor finally said yes, making that bench at the Missouri Botanical Gardens even more special. Now, it’s not just a place where we share memories; it’s the place where we started our forever!