Like many many before us, our story begins at Howard Payne University. Zac and I were both leaders for freshman orientation and quickly discovered a shared sense of humor and mutual love for The Office. We shared our first dance at the HPU Scoot S'more, which was equal parts quirky and hilarious. One warm night in September of 2015, Zac took me on our usual stroll, sat me down on our usual bench, and asked if I would be his girlfriend. In the three years since then, we have been on so many wonderful adventures! Lots of long road trips to New Mexico and San Antonio (our hometowns) have made us the best traveling companions. We love pulling off the road to try new coffee shops and explore discount book stores. We also enjoy re-watching episodes of the office and hanging out with our friends. Zac and I have shared lots of highs and lows. We spent several months apart while I studied abroad in London, and continued to live long distance up until very recently, when Zac got a job in Brownwood (YAY!). We are grateful for these times of growth because through them we can be reassured that we will fight for one another when facing the challenges of life and marriage. Our relationship is far from perfect, but we aim to love one another as Christ has loved us, and to become more like him in the process. Because that's the whole point of this whole marriage thing, ya feel me?

Zac purchased a ring eight months before he proposed, and asked my parents for permission five months before. On April 1st (Yes, you are correct, that is April Fools Day) Zac and I were returning from an exhausting weekend spent driving to be with family. As I sat oblivious in the passenger seat, Zac spontaneously decided he could not bear to let the ring burn a whole in his pocket any longer...after months of waiting TONIGHT WAS THE NIGHT...with excitement he told my parents his plan. And they said no. My parents, thinking we were playing an April Fools prank on them, thought they would play along...whoops. Zac went into panic mode, trying to straighten out the confusion. Meanwhile, as soon as we arrived back in Brownwood, the first and only thing on my mind was to finish up the biggest paper of my college career, a 50+ page policy analysis due the next day at 5:00pm that I had been working on for two semesters. Trust me when I say, the LAST thing I expected was a proposal that night. Surprise surprise, Rebekah! Zac suddenly walked out of our friend's house with no explanation, and I was immediately suspicious. Shortly after, one of my roommates arrived and attempted to tear me from my studies, which I only did begrudgingly. I was SO bewildered. At the same time, my poor boyfriend was in panic mode again; across town he was attempting to light candles and paper lanterns alongside my friends (now bridesmaids), but the wind was refusing to let up, and nothing was working. In spite of all these things, Zac readjusted, lit some candles in a building on campus, got down on one knee, and popped the question. Of course I said yes! (I also got an A on the paper, so no *major* grudges were held ;) Honestly, as stressful as that night was for both of us, Zac could have proposed in a cardboard box with a ring pop and I still would have said yes.