We met at a mixed doubles tennis tournament at Woodside Tennis Club in Kansas City on a cold, winter Friday night. I started playing when I moved back to KC in 2014… and grew to love tennis quickly. Barney started playing the year prior, but our paths at the club didn't cross right away. When the tournament schedule was posted, I noticed a name I didn’t recognize… Barney Hill. When Barney arrived, he realized he didn’t know me either and quickly introduced himself. For the rest of the evening, his quick wit and sense of humor kept me laughing and entertained… even when my partner and I beat his team soundly. But that didn’t deter Barney… he says it was my "illuminating smile and warm nature” he was drawn to… so he coordinated with the tennis group to meet at a local dive bar for drinks afterwards with the intention of getting to know me better. I knew what he was up to and I was just as curious. We spent the evening talking and sharing life stories. Our mutual interest and admiration quickly grew. Our first date was a lunch date in the River Market because we both worked downtown at the time. And the rest is history! We both strongly believe God’s plan is the ultimate plan in our lives. His timing of when we were brought together is undeniably perfect. In the time we’ve known one another, we’ve learned the importance of empathy and leaning on a partner of strength and character with affection and deep love.

The first time Stacy met my boys, Bear and Brett, we competed in an escape room together at Breakout KC. It has since become a tradition for the four of us (and we’re a pretty good team... we’re 4-0!). So it only seemed fitting to weave that experience into the proposal. When the boys were in KC for Thanksgiving last year, we set out for our third breakout room... the Szechuan Secret room. With only a 24% success rate, we needed to make it to the final clue and thankfully we did with less than 10 minutes to spare! The staff hid the ring in a locked artillery box, which the last clue opened. Once it was unlocked, we told Stacy to open it and when she did, she received a unison proposal of “will you marry us?”. I’m looking forward to having my boys stand beside me as groomsmen as Stacy and I continue our journey together.