09.06.2026

Joshua and Sydney met at the Lake Miriam Publix in Lakeland, Florida in 2021. So, I guess you could say they met in college, but the timing of their exact meeting was amazing. Sydney was hired at the Lake Miriam Publix in April 2020 and Joshua had just moved home to Jupiter, FL in March 2020 due to Covid completely shutting down the campus at Florida Southern College where they both were attending school. Fast forward a little less than a year, and Joshua came back to Lake Miriam in January 2021 as a Customer Service Staff transfer. By then, Sydney had also gotten promoted to Customer Service Staff, and to this day she will tell you that while she was at the front desk, she remembers seeing him, as Joshua had come in one random night she happened to be working for a store tour with their manager. Soon enough, they had a few shifts working together and of course, started talking, which began with him making her laugh. She assumed he had to have a girlfriend, as she thought no man on Earth could be this funny, smart, handsome, kind, AND single. They realized that they had a lot in common when it came to views, life goals, and how they saw the world. They began to talk more and more eventually becoming friends and exchanging Snapchats sometime in October (No way he was going to ask her for her number) But, one night while working together, Sydney flirted back boldly by taking his phone and following herself on his Instagram. This small detail will be very important later on. She definitely had a crush on him, even if she didn't know it yet. They continued to work together for a few more months up to that December, when Joshua went back home to Jupiter again to be with his family and finish up school. Sydney continued her life in Lakeland. She became busy with post-grad life, moved into an apartment, and built her new life in Lakeland. They eventually stopped talking, but would see each other on social media and remained friends. Over the course of 4 long years later, The Lord allowed Sydney to continue to build a life for herself, eventually getting hired at Florida Southern College as an Admissions Counselor, leaving Publix after 4 years, and enjoying her independence. Eventually, the Lord reminded Sydney of Joshua, and she started to realize she missed him making her laugh, and how much their friendship really meant to her, so she decided she was going to reach out. Pretty shortly after, she DM'd him on Instagram on the night of Nov. 7th, 2024, and their friendship took off from right where it had left off. This time, they never stopped talking. Very soon after, they started talking to each other every day. Following all of the good morning texts they exchanged (Which Joshua sent every morning), he finally asked her for her number. This shortly lead to their first date, the day after Thanksgiving, back in Lakeland where it all began. Joshua drove 2 1/2 hours there and back to take her out! Their date lasted 7 hours, and they both say they knew. For their second date, Joshua asked Sydney to come to Jupiter, which lead to meeting his incredible family (ask her how nervous she was for this!) but his mom & dad ended up being two of the best people she's ever met. At the end of the incredible trip, he asked her to be his girlfriend, after his mom gently pushed him out of their car before they left for their family Christmas vacation (shoutout Kathy) and it was the sweetest, easiest yes she had ever said. Joshua, I will say yes to you for the rest of my life. The Lord knew you were meant to be mine and you are my biggest blessing. Let's get married!!