After high school graduation I moved down to Barton College, in Wilson, NC for freshman orientation. This is where I met the girl I am going to marry, Lindsey. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her, she was wearing a beautiful dress with cowboy boots. Which I’ve joked with her multiple times that I almost didn’t want to hang out with her because she owned a pair. Her hair was less blonde than it is now and she had a pretty tattoo of a treble clef just below her neck. We were in a room where you had to say who you were, where you were from, and why you came to Barton. Normal icebreaker. Of course, when it was my turn I said, "I’m Austin from Maryland and I’m here to play golf." At that point Lindsey swears that she looked over at me and that’s where she fell in “love” with me. I was half heartily paying attention to everyone as we went around the room, and then we got to her. She gets up and says, “I’m Lindsey, I’m from Cary, NC and I’m here to play golf.” I immediately shot up out of my daze and looked right at her. She was so beautiful I couldn’t even believe my eyes. All I remember thinking to myself was, “she’s going to be on the golf team? I must’ve picked the right school!” I know I couldn’t wait to get to practice so I could have a chance to talk to her. After orientation, Lindsey and I were in a few classes together and flirted every once in a while at practice but nothing really materialized from there. One night I decided to do what every guy my age would have done, get on Facebook and send her a message, courageous, right? I asked her if she would like to hang out one night just the two of us so we could get to know each other better. Lucky for me and unlucky for her, she said yes. Everything just came so naturally, I had never felt so comfortable talking to someone like the way I did with Lindsey. This is the first time I really knew that she could be something special to me.

My niece, Ella was born May 2017 so this past Easter was her first Easter. My sister (or so I thought) wanted to take nice family Spring pictures as her first Easter. So we all get all dolled up, hair highlighted, nails done, cute outfit, all the essentials! We went to JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh because the flowers were just starting to bloom and it was just beautiful and the perfect picture spot! So we get there and my parents, sister and her husband and my niece are all there ready to go! I am in the "photographer mode" meaning I have no idea what is going on behind me! Getting an 8 month year old to look at you or even remotely realize what is happening took all of my attention. Once I had taken pictures of everyone, I hand the camera to my sister to take Austin and I's picture. Once she has the camera Austin is saying something to me but I say, "Shh, smile! She's taking a picture!" Little did I know, Austin planned the entire thing and it was all for me! He looked at me and said that we aren't here for Spring pictures, we are here for you and for me to ask you something! He turns to me, gets down on one knee, and I freak out! Tears flowing, screams, laughs, smiles, all of it! It was absolutely amazing! We had champagne to celebrate and a surprise brunch downtown at Clouds Brewery with all off our friends there to help celebrate with us. There is nothing I would have changed, it was perfect! Nothing made me more sure that this was who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with!