We met at our church, where everyone has been trying to set me (Sammi) up with the "most eligible bachelor" since my middle school years, and it never worked! So when Danny came into the picture, I decided I was not even open to hearing about it. I wanted nothing to do with the man who commented on my cool cheetah Air Jordans. ;) I went to a friend's birthday party and he was there (of course!!) playing with his band and I was thinking "Wow... maybe he is not that bad after all..." after the show, a group of us all hung out late into the night. The next morning he texted me to say thanks for coming to his show (#smooth!) and I texted back... the rest was history. After our hours-long first date, I got in the car and told my best friend Hollins, "I love him!" and then quickly took it back but I think deep down I knew in my heart. On our second date, we found out that we have the same birthday, September 24th, only he is 3 years older :) so we started planning a big joint birthday party for his 30th! The whole time we were planning this I thought we were planning the massive party for our birthdays, little did I know he was planning a surprise proposal. He planned so many little details, talked to my parents and had everything in order for the best, most perfect surprise proposal ever- my parents were even there! Which was super special to me. Now here we are!! Getting to make this a forever thing- God has a great sense of humor and His timing is perfect!

God has a funny sense of humor! So just like Sammi people were always trying to set me up with someone. When I got out of the Navy, I moved back to Florida where I was from. I had always wanted to move to North Carolina and man, did God have a cool plan. My cousin Maria came down to Florida for a visit. Every day she and I would talk about moving to North Carolina. Every time it got brought up she would say “Danny, I have this perfect girl for you, and her name is Sammi!” I kept telling her that I wasn't interested in getting set up somewhere I didn't live. This conversation happened many times... even after I moved to North Carolina! I finally met Sammi at church and Maria introduced us, but Sammi was not even in the slightest interested. That same day when I was leaving the church, I saw Sammi walking, I rolled down my window and yelled “Sammi it was SOOO great to meet you!!!” and of course she ignored me. She’ll deny this forever, but I actually tried to talk to Sammi a number of different times. Thank God for my band! haha! I had a gig on Sammi’s friend's birthday. So they conveniently decided to come to my gig for it. I knew this was my chance to impress her. I would say that this was my best performance of all time. After my gig, we ended up going out to good ole Boat Yard Eats to hang out. Sammi bought everyone there a drink except for me. While we were all talking I kept telling myself, “She is pretty awesome!" This was after she made me take off my Air Force 1s for her to examine. The next day I reached out to everyone I knew to get her number and when I did, it was game over from there. We haven't stopped talking since that day. God knew what he was doing when those conversations were happening with my cousin and me, even when I kept telling her no. God Knew!! I'm so thankful for all the people who convinced me to ask her out. I am thankful that I went out that night. I’m thankful that she said yes to me.