We first met at our physical therapy grad school interview in Savannah, but didn't have time to truly connect until we started school. Eric distinctively remembers hoping Elly would get into grad school in Savannah but didn't know she truly got accepted until 6 months later. He was ecstatic. On our first night out with our classmates, we reconnected and got "lost" talking in a bar called 309. Seriously. We talked for over two hours. Initially, Eric believed he was friend-zoned. However, it wasn't until weeks of talking that Eric realized Elly may be interested in him as well. On our first date, we went to get ice cream and walked around the beautiful downtown Savannah squares and finished the night with a sunset view on a rooftop bar. We both agreed this setting was a bit more romantic, and more quiet, than 309. Little did we know that moving to Savannah and starting school would allow us to find each other and allow us to grow together not only in our careers but our relationship.

In August 2021 after four years of dating, we walked around the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens and Eric noticed a sunflower exhibit. He knew this would be the place to propose, given Elly's favorite flower is a sunflower. The following June 2022, when it came time to pick up the ring, Eric's initial plan was to hold onto the ring for a few months until the sunflowers were at their prime. However, once Eric picked up the ring, he knew he couldn't wait that long. Out of excitement, he decided to propose the following week. Eric called the botanical gardens that week to check the status of the sunflowers. Although they bloomed, they didn't last very long as the botanical garden worker told Eric, "I'm sorry but the sunflowers aren't there anymore. The deer ate them". Given this minor hiccup, Eric decided to proceed anyway. On the morning of the proposal, Elly knew something was different. Eric woke up at 7am to go on a run. He never goes on early morning runs. We then drove to Athens to enjoy our weekend with friends but first stopped at the botanical gardens. We walked through the gardens early in the morning and essentially had the whole place to ourselves. As we were walking around the gardens admiring the flowers, Eric stopped us in front of the sunflower gate. Eric got on one knee and asked Elly to marry him. Of course, she said yes and the rest is history!