Long story short—we met through our parents! With strong ties to our communities, it was important to both of us to find someone who shared our culture and values. When our parents connected and introduced us, we decided to give it a shot. We started texting in early November, met over Zoom with our parents the following week, and had our first in-person date just a week later! We quickly bonded over our love for the Lord, our passion for worship, and a shared vision of a life centered on faith, family, and music. Since then, we haven’t stopped talking!

Long distance it is! Daphne in Cleveland, Sam in Peoria—and somehow our relationship is mostly with the Midwest. Chicago for deep dish and ice cream museums, Fort Wayne for a casual largest music store in North America moment, Troy for… cardio at the mall (romance isn’t dead, just walking laps), and Toledo for Tim Hortons because apparently that was necessary. At this point, we’re not dating each other—we’re dating I-80

When we met in Peoria for Valentine’s Day, I (Daphne) had a feeling something big might happen—so I packed my favorite dress and got my nails done just in case. That afternoon, Sam was so nervous and told me to get ready. We drove out and parked at the beautiful, elegant... Menard’s. I very seriously asked, “Is this where you're proposing to me?” and he said yes with a straight face!! While I was coming to terms with the garden center aesthetic, he began to laugh and admitted we were going somewhere else. We ended up at the LIBRARY (as an avid reader, libraries and bookstores are my favorite places) and I was so excited I practically screamed! Inside, I was handed my first clue: Sam had created a scavenger hunt just for me, leading me through the bookshelves while I collected meaningful gifts he had set up along the way. The final clue brought me to the children’s room, where he was waiting with a beautiful setup and the perfect ring. My family was there, and others were watching on a livestream. It was so thoughtful, personal, and absolutely perfect!