We met online, and we both are so grateful we swiped right that day. Austin kept on bugging me to “come out for a drink with me.” I knew the moment I walked into that bar and saw him that he was going to be my husband someday. We haven’t gone ONE day of us not seeing each other at least once a day. The weirdest thing about this whole relationship, is that we have known each other since I was a little girl. He was best friends with a distant cousin of mine, I knew of him when I was little but did not know him. Austin was always one of those people that I would see around from time to time, but wouldn't think anything of it. If someone would have looked at me and told me that I was going to marry Austin Ryan 5 years ago, I would have laughed in your face and said, "yeah right."
In Atlantic, around Thanksgiving every year there is a huge celebration to put on the lights down town called “The Grand Lighting.” It is one of biggest traditions Atlantic has for Christmas. I had told Austin that we should go, and he was excited to go because neither of us have gone in years. The day of, we went to the Grand Lighting and everyone was there, close family and friends. We gathered around in a group to watch them turn the lights on, and as soon as they did, Austin was on his knee. OF COURSE I said yes!!! (Given, I knew he had the ring all along. I found a picture of it in his phone on my birthday. Little did I know, he wanted to do it on my birthday, but the ring had to be sent away to be sized.)