We’re getting married!

It all started back in high school. Yes, Ricky and I went to the same high school and graduated from the same class in 2019 but we were strangers. Although we were both captains of sports teams we never spoke a word to each other. This was not intentional, Ricky took IB courses while I took AP courses so we never shared any classes together. Although I knew of him and thought he was cute… we were both in different relationships at this time. We then moved on to college when I stayed home to go to UNF and Ricky moved to Orlando at UCF. Still for almost 3 years, no interaction just seeing each other on social media occasionally. Fast forward to December 27th of 2022. I was hanging out with my bestfriend Beanie (aka Jean/ my MOH) and I was scrolling on my phone when I saw a very handsome picture of Ricky pop up, showing off his new haircut. Knowing shy little me, she convinced me to say something to him to get his attention. Ricky was home for winter break during this time. I shot my shot and sent him a blank snap of just our faces. While being left on “open” for 5 mins I was soo embarrassed, little did I know Brandon was convincing Ricky to answer me back. Finally he answered, we talked about how our Christmas went and caught up since high school. The more I talked to him the more I fell in love with his witty, caring, and genuine self. We went on our first date and told each other we were interested in each other. I worried how long distance would work but we mutually agreed to give it our best shot and what will be, will be. Our love grew strong over a year of long distance with FaceTime dates and some visits home. I now get to love him forever and grow my future with my favorite person all thanks to the invisible string theory when our time was right. Nobody has ever made me smile as big as he does and I am the luckiest girl in the world. Wherever he is, I know I found my home.

Mak and I went to high school together, but we never had a single class together. I had seen her here and there around school and knew she played softball but I never had the chance to have a conversation with her until after high school. We followed each other on instagram and Snapchat and I had always thought she was incredibly beautiful despite her not believing me. I was home from school for Christmas break and the day after Christmas I posted a story on my Snapchat and little did I know but Makenzie likey! The next day I was sitting on the couch with my brother playing some video games when she sent me a snap the following day out of the blue. I was caught off guard because this girl who I already thought was out of my league came to ME! I asked my brother what to say bc I didn’t know how to break the ice with such a pretty lady but with his almighty wisdom he advised me to say “Hi”. AND IT WORKED!!! Mak and I started talking a lot over the course of the next couple of days and I only had about a week left of my break before I had to go back to Orlando for another semester of schooling. I KNEW I had to go on a date with her before I left because I didn’t want her to forget about me while I was gone! I had learned that Mak really liked coffee while talking to her and I asked her to meet me at a coffee shop for a date on one of my last days of my break. We agreed to meet at southern grounds for some coffee one morning before I had to go to work. I was so nervous going to our first date. I arrived early and was looking at the menu to see what I should get (because unbeknownst to her I don’t like coffee) when this gorgeous girl came up behind me and said hi. I jumped bc I was so nervous but I was excited to see her and we got our refreshments and grabbed a table to talk. I was instantly blown away by her. I had already known she was incredibly pretty but she also had an incredible head on her shoulders. Makenzie is driven, smart, motivated, caring and countless other things but she had all the qualities I could ever want in a partner. We spent over an hour there talking and getting to know each other and I had known from then that I definitely wanted to see her again! Mak had spilled a little coffee on herself at some point during the date which I didn’t think was a big deal but unbeknownst to me she cut off the date a bit early out of embarrassment. She gave me a hug at the end of the first date which I took as a sign that she might like me and I told her I definitely wanted to see her the next time I was in town. It didn’t take me very long to come back to Jax bc Mak was on my mind every day! I was back in Jax 2 weeks later to watch the jags lose in the playoffs and asked if we could watch a movie together. She said yes and said I could go to her place to meet her dog, Bentley, and watch a movie. Mak asked which movie we should watch when I visited and when I found out she had never seen Jurassic Park it became the first of many movies we have watched over the years together. I was shaking in my boots the whole movie and mustered up the courage to put my arm around her and finally after the movie we shared our first kiss. Mak said that she would like to come visit me in Orlando so I planned a whole itinerary of activities for us to do on her visit! They included our favorite activity of eating tacos and getting margs as well as visiting Disney springs and winter park! Mak and I would continue to take turns visiting each other when after 2 months of doing this I planned to ask her to be my girlfriend on a visit to Jax bearing some flowers! Mak and I officially started dating on 3/3/2023 and since then we have gone on so many adventures together. We have both finished school and gotten our first jobs in our career fields. We love going out for tacos, stopping at our favorite ice cream spot and going to the arts market together. Mak is my best friend and I cannot wait to get married and spend the rest of my life with her!