When 2020 brought the world to an abrupt halt and businesses closed their doors, I left the catering kitchen in Lexington, KY to take a much need trip home to visit family. But when the intended 5 day-stay turned into 5 months, I made the decision to permanently relocate and remain close to family. Though my plans seemed thwarted, I had no idea that the Lord was guiding my restless and wandering feet to the place where I would meet the man I was going to marry. So began my short career as a front desk coordinator for a local chiropractor (anyone who knows me knows I'm too restless for a desk job). In the first week on the job, Andrew walked through the door for his standing weekly appointment. Though we were instantly attracted to each other, various circumstances would keep us "just friends" for a long time - a gift we truly are thankful for as it provided the perfect foundation for an honest friendship without the burden of trying to impress each other. The conversations began and common faith was shared, and the friendship that was to follow was inevitable. Love for history, health, ethics, justice, the gospel... anything and everything was discussed and the freedom of two blunt and honest people talking about their genuine opinions on every matter was both fun and exciting. Shocking similarities on obscure ideas was the foundation for realizing that maybe this could be something more. Fast forward many months, and Andrew gave me a shooting lesson one Saturday afternoon. After absolutely refusing to "let this girl" pay him for his time, he agreed to let me teach him how to swing dance as a way of trading skills. Thus began our weekly lunch-break lesson at a local park, which very quickly developed into an unplanned weekly bible study. My stubborn heart softened and I finally admitted to myself that I more than liked this man... I realized I was falling in love with him. And Andrew frankly states that he had loved me for a long time. <3

It was a hot day in the middle of a busy week that consisted of loading and unloading cabinets at a customer's home. We had planned to facetime some out-of-state family later in the day, so when Andrew suggested we take a video of us swing dancing to send to them I had absolutely no suspicions that he had a diamond ring burning a hole in his back pocket. We had to swing by his old house that was currently being remodeled, and so took a short break to enjoy the stunning mountain view from his back deck. He set the phone against the house, we danced and laughed and cut up, then he stopped and said there was something on his heart that he wanted to share with me. He said beautiful and sweet things, confessed that he thinks he fell in love with me at some point while we were dancing, so it was the right time to ask me to be his wife. I don't know if it was the sheer shock that this was happening in real time, so unexpected, and that the man I love more than any creature on this earth was asking me to spend forever with him, or the absolutely stunning-beyond-belief ring he was holding.... but I just about blacked out right then and there. So I said YES to forever, in my camo shorts and favorite boots, to my best friend and one of the best men the world has ever known. I love our story because it is so us. No frills, no games, no pretending. Just our unique and real and crazy selves. We are truly perfect for each other in ways I don't believe any other human being could be, and we thank God every day for His kindness in providing for us what we didn't have enough faith to even believe possible. It is my opinion that Andrew is a much better story-teller than I am, so if you fancy more details and more wit let him give you his perspective.