We're getting married!

We both attended Liberty University, had the same major, and even lived three dorms down from each other, but we had never met! In Spring 2019, we were both accepted to The Washington Fellowship, an internship program through Liberty. Still, our paths did not cross until orientation day in August 2019. We quickly bonded over Liberty’s rigorous accounting program and our love for working out. We began running together several times a week (our favorite route was to the Lincoln Memorial). I told myself that I was in Washington DC to focus on professional development and experience city life, but I quickly realized that I had feelings for the cute boy who lived down the hall! It wasn’t long before our friendly training sessions became weekly dinner dates to explore every hole in the wall restaurant that DC had to offer. And I thought I was just getting a running partner.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sam was living and working in Lynchburg, VA while I was living at home with my parents. Sam planned to visit us to celebrate my birthday and Easter – a special weekend since I was born on Easter and my birthday fell on Easter again this year! We planned to go hiking at Grayson Highlands State Park and the weather worked in our favor. Sam knows that my favorite place is anywhere in the mountains, so he wanted to thank God for my life and pray over my upcoming year while we were there. When Sam began praying for my future, he also expressed his dreams and hopes for our relationship. The next thing I know, Sam is asking me if I wanted to begin our next chapter today! He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him (see our Photos page for the exact moment)! I cried happy tears and shouted “YES” nine times, according to Sam. It was an unforgettable weekend celebrating our engagement, my birthday, and Christ’s resurrection!

We are moving to Joint Base Lewis-McChord!