Picture it: Sicily, 1912. Wait...wrong story. Little Rock, 2012. I (Rainey) was playing kickball in the Little Rock Kickball Association on a team named the Whoopsie Goldbergs (whoopsies for life!). It was August-ish and we were at a pre-season practice at Allsop Park when LO AND BEHOLD, a new fella arrived to play on our team for the season. His name happened to be Daniel and he happened to be very cute. We became teammates and friends with no idea we'd be getting married a DECADE LATER.

Fast forward to Hot Springs, 2014. We were at #MattBradsher's lake house for the Fourth of July and on one of those sunny mornings, we donned some floaties in Lake Hamilton, decided to become best friends, and never looked back. Through heartbreaks, celebrations, ups, downs, and everything in between, we were together for better or worse. We even made a bet that if neither of us were married by age 35, we'd just marry each other. (Spoiler: I'll be 35 at the time of the wedding and he'll be a few days short of 2 weeks past his 36th birthday.)

Fast forward to Little Rock, 2016. One of us (it was Rainey) decided she had a crush on the other one (it was Daniel) and it was a VERY AWKWARD couple of months while we independently wrestled (not WWE style) with the pros and cons of dating your best friend and what in the world you're to do if it doesn't work out. On Veterans Day 2016, we had a gathering with some friends, had a few-ish adult beverages, and with some liquid courage (and help from Katy), hashed it all out. We were gonna give it a try and see what happened. SPOILER: it's been an amazing five years since then with more laughs, concerts, wrestling events, parties, movies, adventures, airbnbs, foster dogs, Lucy dogs, home improvement projects, video games, etc than I would have ever imagined. Easy? Not always. Worth it? A million times over.

Fast forward to somewhere between Jasper and Harrison, 12/31/20. We arrive at a cabin we have rented with our two besties, Missy and Lex. After an evening of delicious snacks, craft cocktails, and a gold sequined jacket, Daniel starts the countdown on his phone and BOOM, it's 2021! Daniel is looking at me like "uh, new years kiss though?" and I turn around and he is on one knee with the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my LIFE. I know that he said something really sweet, but I was too busy WHIPPING AROUND to see if Missy and Lex knew it was about to happen and catching them taking a cute selfie and going "OH MY GOD WHAT" and trying to get their cameras turned around in time to capture the moment. It is safe to say we rang in the new year with a lot of gasps, tears, and hugs. Lucy was there too and as you can see on the photos page, she was VERY excited! (Definitely worth zooming in on her face.)