Way back in 2009, Hyle and I met thanks to basketball. Not really knowing each other, we only crossed paths in the halls and on bus rides to games. I secretly asked for Hyle's number one day because I needed to send him a picture of one of the girls on the team he was talking to at the time ;) After that ended, I quickly became the annoying 6th grade girl and would forward Hyle a chain message almost every day hoping to start a conversation. I guess my sly moves worked or he just felt sorry for me because a couple weeks later we started "dating." (If that's even what you call it in the 6th grade). It pretty much meant, it was ok for me to text him everyday and sometimes he would even text me first :) Long story short, we've been together ever since! We have grown up together, learned to love each other even at our most awkward times, and because of that I am truly blessed to be able to say I FINALLY get to marry my BEST FRIEND!

If you read the above story or know us at all, after 9 years of dating, getting engaged was something I have been dreaming about for awhile now! Hyle still managed to plan and pull off the perfect surprise while we were at the beach this year. As family picture night approached, we were going to eat in at the condo and take pictures at sunset. Everything was planned by the minute; dinner was supposed to start at 6:45, but of course I was still getting ready (and now it makes total sense why Hyle began pacing back and forth). When I was finally ready, we went downstairs and ate (well I did and again it makes sense why Hyle didn't eat much that night.) When we finished, Hyle asked if I wanted to take a walk before we started pictures. I agreed and we went walking down the beach. We just kept walking and I kept asking, "Why are we walking so far and so fast?" Hyle always found a way to avoid my question. We came to the spot we had to turn around, but before we did Hyle bent over and picked up a tractor from the sand. Out came the sweetest note and a box. I began to cry as he got on one knee and asked me to be his wife. After I said yes through all the tears, I heard screaming coming from behind the group of large rocks to the left of us! Huge thanks to Bella, Daniel, Lindsay, Riley, and Harrison for keeping the biggest secret and capturing the most precious moment! As we headed back down the beach to the condo, the surprises continued... I could see Deneane almost sprinting towards us, and then out of nowhere, my mom came out from behind her (she had been hiding in the condo all afternoon)! Again, the tears began flowing! We went back to celebrate with the whole family and the sweetest friends and even had to dance to Big Green Tractor (our "first dance" at the school dance in 6th grade and hence the tractor he used in the sand!) It was the most perfect night to start this exciting new journey!