It was always you...

Our reputations definitely preceded our first encounter! As first-year students, we both joined Student Government Association (SGA). Both of us spent the spring semester hearing all about the other, but we never got the opportunity to meet that semester due to conflicting schedules. Then, we both got our start with JMU Orientation as First-YeaR Orientation Guides (FROG) in the summer of 2013, still not having yet met. Out of over 300 FROGs, we were assigned to the same residence hall and officially were able to meet each other after having heard all about one another! Reflecting back on it now, it is abundantly clear that God wasn’t going to give up until we met, and for that, we could not be more grateful.

(Meredith’s Perspective) Why ask an easy question when you can jump straight to the point? Well…that was Robby’s perspective at least! We were set to catch up over the holiday season while Robby was visiting his family in Leesburg. Conversations have always flowed easily between us and that night was no exception. We bounced from topic to topic effortlessly when Robby suddenly stated, “Can I ask you a weird question?”. Being me, I obviously jumped at the opportunity! He then proceeded to ask… "So, do you ever think we were meant to be together?”. Just like any normal person would do…my jaw dropped to the floor and I promptly excused myself to the ladies' room to collect my thoughts and talk to my best friend. To this day, I still think this may be the biggest shock of my life!

(Meredith’s Perspective) Little did we know that God was already orchestrating a beautiful transition. After our conversation in December, and the holiday season passed, we found ourselves talking more. In a matter of weeks, our check-in calls that used to happen every six months turned into daily conversations in some form or another. I would be lying if I said that I made those seven months easy for Robby; the fear of potentially losing one of my best friends if things didn't work out made me very apprehensive toward moving him out of the friend zone. Being long-distance, we ended up exploring a lot of methods of communication. We texted, used Marco Polo, had a short stint of letter writing, too many facetimes to count, got through a global pandemic, and a few dates disguised as “hangouts” (to not scare me off). Little did I know that it would only take Robby going on vacation with his family, where we didn’t talk every day, for me to realize what I had been too scared to face from the start–I really liked this guy. After that vacation, it felt like the timing was right to add the “titles” to our relationship. Robby, being the gentleman that he is, wanted to officially ask me to date in person. After a fun weekend together with friends and family, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend.

(Robby’s Perspective) If you know Meredith, you know that she loves surprises, but if she is not the one planning a surprise, then she will do just about anything to figure it out! Asking Meredith to marry me was by far the most elaborate surprise I have ever planned, so I’m grateful that I didn’t have to do it alone. I couldn’t be more thankful for all the people that helped me plan the perfect proposal for her! The Lincoln Memorial has always been a special place for her and it was one of the first places she took me when we started dating. From that first time there together, I knew I wanted to propose to her there one day. So, after months of planning, buying a ring, and asking for her parents' blessing–the day finally arrived! After a sleepless night, I made my way to the Lincoln steps with two of her best friends so they could help capture the moment. Her best friend eventually got her to the Memorial for sunrise, under the guise that they would have a quiet morning in the city. Once they got settled, I made my way out to surprise her. When she saw me, she went into complete shock, screamed, asked why I was there, apologized to the other people there, and then screamed some more. After what seemed like the longest walk of my life, we made it down to the base of the reflection pool. It was there that I got on one knee and asked her to be my wife. Completely caught up in the moment, her first words to me were “Can I give you a hug?”, to which I responded with “I need an answer to my question first”. It was an obvious yes, but her instinctive desire to hug me first, without thinking of anything else, will always be one of my favorite memories of that day. We then spent the rest of the morning taking in the excitement, calling our immediate family, and getting breakfast so I could explain all of the details that led up to the proposal. She still didn’t know that I had one other exciting surprise up my sleeve… Later that afternoon we had a party with our closest friends and family to celebrate our engagement. It was a perfect weekend!

We cannot wait to officially be Mr. and Mrs.! God has been so good to us in our seasons of singleness, dating, and engagement - teaching us and molding us into who He calls us to be as individuals and a couple. It is even sweeter that our friendship has allowed us to walk through so many seasons together! We praise God as we joyously enter this new season as husband and wife.