You could say we "met at the gym" but it all really started on Facebook. In July 2019 I, Hailey Robinson, brought one of my friends (and now coworker) with me to pick fifteen 5-gallon buckets full of peaches. We both then went and distributed them to friends in the community. Little did I know, she was close friends with a guy that worked out with a man that had his eyes set on me at the URMC Wellness Center. When she gave her friend the peaches he asked who she went with, then immediately said he needed to call his buddy. So on July 4, 2019 Nathan Partain found out my name... He waited a day, then added me on facebook. After getting the friend request and seeing we had a mutual friend (and thinking he was cute) I added him. That's when the facebook messaging began, the small talk, the get to know you conservations, then he said "I really hope that it doesn't take a month to see you at the gym." To that of course I said, there was no chance I would be going to the gym at the time he aimed to go every week. Wouldn't you know, we both went to the gym the very next day, at an abnormal time, at the same time. We had the nervous small talk, then he left without even getting my phone number. So what did I do? I messaged him while sitting on the leg machine "(XXX)XXX-XXXX...since you didn't ask for it" We talked on the phone for hours one night, he asked me out on our first date...and the rest is history <3

In January 2020 Nathan told me he was taking me on a surprise trip for Valentine’s Day and my birthday, so I needed to get Bonnie boarded for the weekend of February 15-16, 2020, be packed and ready to go when he got home from work that Saturday morning. I had no idea what we were doing, where we were going, or what to pack for. I had been talking to my coworkers for weeks stressing about what to pack, and of course I did not pack warm enough and had to repack everything before we hit the road to our destination. Once we got in the jeep, I found out that we were going to Gatlinburg, TN (only because I had to put it in the GPS). On the drive there we were being goofy, talking, and cuttin’ up the whole time. We drove through The Great Smoky Mountains, saw an elk herd, and took some pictures in the mountains. Once we got to Gatlinburg we checked into the hotel, changed into nicer clothes and headed to dinner in Pigeon Forge. At dinner he said that he had something planned for after dinner, so we would need to go change into warmer clothes before heading there, as it was cold outside. Once in warmer clothes we went down the main street going through Gatlinburg and parked near the SkyBridge Lift. He was taking me up the mountain to the longest suspension bridge in North America. Now I did not think I was afraid of heights until I saw this ski lift chair floating over the moving cars below. To make matters worse, Nathan proceeded to tell me before getting on the lift that he needed to sit on the left side to prevent the chair from swinging the entire time up, due to the distribution of our weight (I will get back to this). Then up the lift we went, me freaking the whole time with a death grip on the chair and Nathan, and us taking the most terribly funny picture on the way up.

After getting off the life we headed up the stairs to the SkyBridge. Half way up I pointed to a spot and told him that we needed to take a picture there, with the lights of the city in the background, after we get back across. The bridge was beautifully lit, with flowers around each arch for valentines, and a huge heart of red lights down the mountain in the distance. We walked across the swaying bridge, me holding onto the side the entire time and him laughing. On the other end we looked out at the city for a minute, then it got a little crowded, so back across we went. Once back across we started to walk down to the area where I had said I wanted to take pictures before. A little ways down I said that there would be fine because you could see the lights but he said no, let’s go to where you are actually supposed to take pictures in the middle of the amphitheater with lights all the way down. We got to that main area, took some cute pictures, and then he stepped back (that’s when I knew)…he said there was one more thing, he got down on his knee, pulled out a tiny box with a light shining down on the ring, and asked “Will you marry me?” And what did I do…I started crying, closed the box, wrapped my arms around him and said “Of Course” and gave him kisses. About a minute later he looked at me and said, “So can I put the ring on?” I had been so wrapped up in the emotions and excitement, I hadn’t even seen the ring yet. Then he opened the box once more, pulled the most beautiful ring out, and placed it on my finger…and here we are <3

I said I would get back to the weight distribution talk where he said he had to sit on that specific side or else the chair would swing the whole way up…the reason he said that was because he had the ring in his pocket the whole time and he didn’t want me to see or feel it. I had NO IDEA!

When I first added Nathan on facebook, never in my wildest dreams did I think I was adding the man of my dreams. Why did I add him? Well of course I thought he was incredibly handsome (and he’s lucky we had a mutual friend). When we first started messaging I had butterflies. I would check my phone constantly, waiting for his replies. Then when he got my number, called me, and we talked for hours...that’s when I was hooked. His personality, his humor, the way he listened to everything that was said and really wanted to be in the moments...that’s what got me. After our first date, I knew there was something about him, something that was drawing me to him, something that made me want to spend all my free time with him. I fell for this incredible man fast, and hard. Even before I said it, he knew I loved him. He’s everything I thought I’d never have. He makes me laugh, he challenges me, he encourages me, he's there for me when I need him most. I absolutely love this man with my whole heart and could never imagine a life without him. I cannot wait to spend eternity with you, Nathan Partain <3

Let me begin by saying, there are two sides to every story and everything Hailey has written is true. But, my story began almost a whole year before hers ever began to unravel. It was sometime between the end of winter and the beginning of spring 2018. Just a normal Saturday for me. I had awoken for the morning and moved around for a bit, trying to get in the mood to go to the gym. It had taken everything in me to make myself go suffer through a workout but, if I had known what or whom I was going to see, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep the night before. I remember that I was in my own world that day. Headphones blaring, minding my own, with not a care in the world except my workout and the guitar riffs vibrating my eardrums. I had just finished my warm-up set and went to grab my water bottle and sit down on the trainer’s table to finish my pre-workout, when I caught a glimpse of someone I had never seen before walk into the stretching room with an exercise mat. I didn’t think much of it at the time, as it could have been anyone, let alone my future wife. I went about my workout and finished a few sets and moved to a different location to begin a different lift, but then the door to the stretching room opened and I saw someone, something, that would change my life forever.

The first thing I noticed was a face. A face I would come to love and long to see every time I was away. Secondly, I noticed long brown hair. Hair that I would come to run my fingers through and pick off of every piece of clothing that I owned.... literally. The third thing I noticed was the amount of neon yellow clothing. My goodness at the yellow. And lastly, I noticed her movements. Movements many people can’t recognize in a person. I noticed she stared at the floor when she walked because she didn’t want attention from anyone. I noticed how her hair flowed down her back so perfectly. I noticed how she carried herself with confidence, but at the same time she was modest. And then I noticed that I had been staring at this woman for way too long, and that if she saw me watching I would have freaked her completely out. I had to get going and get my mind off of this woman. I started working out again, but I started lifting hundreds and hundreds of pounds. Thinking to myself, maybe this will get her to notice me. Man was I wrong. She didn’t notice me for a second. I had to come up with plan B. Work up the courage to go talk to this woman. The woman that was far too amazing in everyway for me. Let me add... she still is!! So I thought about it. Weighed the different scenarios in my head. After minutes of contemplating I had worked up the nerve. I made my way to the water fountain for a sip of water and I was on my way. Little did I know as I turned around from my sip of water, there was another man standing with her. She had a boyfriend.

I’m not gonna lie or pretend that it didn’t sting, because it did. Never before in my life had I seen a woman like her. A woman that I noticed everything about in just seconds after seeing her for the first time. A woman that in the most mysterious of ways I was drawn to. There was something about her. I didn’t know what it was. I just had the feeling we belonged together, and that she was the sweetest of souls. That she was everything I had ever wanted in a woman. It was such a strange feeling. It was a God thing. It was like He was revealing to me a woman, a gift, that He had created just for me. And that is exactly what I felt inside. My workout was over. As much as I wanted to stick around and watch this angelic woman workout, I just couldn’t do it. Weeks went by, and weeks turned into months. I had seen her a few times here and there. But every time I saw her she was there with another guy. She never looked happy. I never even saw her smile. I remember thinking to myself one day, if she would only give me one chance I would make her smile, I would make her laugh, and I would do everything within my power to make sure she would stay that way. Eventually with my work schedule, I started going to the gym in the mornings as soon as I would get home from the station. I formed a new routine and I went months without seeing the woman of my dreams.

Months later I ran into an old friend from highschool. He told me he was working out at the same gym when he gets off work, and asked me to come up there when I could to give him a few pointers and tips. So I did. I met him up there one afternoon around five thirty and we got to work. We got to work cutting up and standing around in the middle of the weight room. We would do a set and then cut up for a few minutes, do a set and cut up for a few minutes. We were working on one of our last sets by the dumbbell rack. I had my back turned and I was talking to him. We were laughing and talking about a workout video on youtube when I heard a voice say “ Excuse me. Are you using these?” My heart sank. It was such a sweet, soft, and soothing voice. I turned and it was her. I died inside. My friend quickly said no and we moved out of the way. I couldn’t speak until she was out of vocal range. I looked at my buddy and said, did you hear that? We both agreed. It was an angel. My gym schedule had been changed to 5:30pm permanently. That evening I talked with my friend about the mysterious woman. I told him how I felt. That all I wanted was a chance with that girl. We talked and talked and talked, and finally we concluded that the next time I saw her I should make a move. The only problem was I didn’t see her. I went everyday at the same time for two whole weeks and she wasn’t anywhere in sight. Finally, on the 4th of July 2019 I had a break in my case. I received a call stating her name and that she was single. I hung up the phone and went directly to facebook to look her up. It was her. I had waited so long for such an opportunity. I had her name, she was single, and I wasn’t gonna waste one second in fear that I would miss out on an opportunity with such a woman.... THE woman.

It was late that night so I didn’t send her a friend request. I didn’t want her thinking I’m just some random guy trying to holla at her in the middle of the night. I waited until the next morning. I was so nervous. And it was only a friend request. I mustered up the courage and pressed send. After hours of waiting and checking; finally she confirmed. I wasted no time. I had to send the dumbest message possible. “Hey, haven’t I seen you at the gym?” I knew the answer was yes. I waited. I remember thinking, well she isn’t going to message back. And then.... BING!!! I almost through my shoulder out reaching for my phone. It was her!!! She messaged back!!!! My heart was racing, my mind was stirring with excitement, and my smile was getting wider and wider. I couldn’t believe it was really happening. She ended our conversation for the evening with her saying “when we see eachother at the gym again.” So I’m gonna pause here and say that my relationship with this woman is the best part of my life. She is my best friend, my rock, my everything. And I have no doubt in my mind that we were meant to be together. The very next day I was thinking...Should I wait until later to go to the gym? Should I go in case she is there? I couldn’t figure it out. So, I just went at a random time. Guess who came walking in just a few moments later. Yep, mine truly. I tried to talk to her. Literally, I tried. I baffled noises and sounds I thought were words, but all I could think about was how beautiful that woman in front of me was. I finished my workout and I made one final attempt to speak to her as I was leaving. She smiled, I mumbled and said goodbye. As I pulled out of the parking lot I realized something. That something was, I am an idiot. I didn’t even ask her for her phone number.

A few minutes later I got a message from her. A message with a super sarcastic tone, yes Hailey... I know your sarcastic text tone. A text with her phone number and some other words. All I read was, hey I’m glad I have game even though you don’t, here is my phone number you crazy man. It was all still a victory in my book. I actually spoke words to her that day. So you see, I got that chance. My one chance to make her smile, my one chance to make her laugh, and my one chance to do everything in my power to make her happy. But I’ve got to eat my own words. I’ve realized something. Not a day has gone by that this woman hasn’t made me smile. Not a day has gone by that she hasn’t made me laugh. Not a day has gone by that she hasn’t done everything in her power to make me happy. I love you Hailey Robinson, and spending the rest of my life with you just isn’t long enough. 💋