There are many places that this story could have started. The week before we met, I remember my friend H and I going down to watch a Women's Lacrosse game on a whim, because it was a beautiful day. As we were watching, it was immediately apparent that someone out there was unbelievably good, and we didn't know anything about lacrosse. We jumped on the college website, over to the women's lacrosse roster, and had to look up who that girl was. Sydney Cooper? How do we not know who this person is? We shrugged and went on our way. So many things had to happen in the way they did for us to meet, and the way our paths crossed gives hope to the idea that everything happens for a reason. If things went according to plan, I would have stayed in that night, but an injury kept me from playing in a tournament the next day. Frustrated with another knee injury, a night out was in order. Syd also came to the same conclusion that a night out was necessary after she scored seven goals in a lacrosse game that her team lost. Each of us began the night with our friend groups until the inevitable call for "BAR TIME." From separate dorms we trekked towards Scorz, my friends and I from the top of the hill in PR; her and her friends at the bottom of the hill in Olin. We walked along the hill where these dorms converge into one road and our groups combined. Neither of our friend groups knew each other at all, which is a strange occurrence in a small town like Mt. Vernon. One of her friends gave me a delicious Reds Apple Ale (ahh college) for the walk. As Syd and I were having our first conversation, I did what any gentleman in my position would do, and offered her a sip of my newly acquired beverage. To which she replied, "It's mine anyway, where'd you get that?!" she then grabbed it, took a big sip before handing it back. Love at first sip. We chatted the whole walk over to the bar, where we danced that night. If you know Syd and me, you know that we are not dancers, so this was probably the biggest twist in the night. As we were leaving, I made sure to add her on FB. A few days later, I slid into her DMs (21st Century Love Story), a few days after we baked cookies, a few weeks after that we started dating, and shortly after that we fell in love. What started for both of us as a sad, frustrating night turned into one of the great adventures in our life. Knowing what I know now, I can't tell you how thankful I am that my knees suck and her team did too (that night).

It's going to be hard for me to not toot my own horn here, because I'm quite proud of the proposal. I've known since we baked those cookies that it was going to happen eventually. It's interesting how when you've been together for a long time, people enjoy inserting themselves into your business: when's it going to happen? How are you going to do it? I always said the same thing, "We're on the ten year plan, unless she gets a job with good benefits, then we'll revisit in five." The joy it brought me when this statement upset people cannot be expressed with words. I did not know when I was going to do it or how, but when you're talking about marriage, the timeline is forever, so why rush it? Why not make it worth it? We went ring shopping one day about a year and a half before I proposed, and I told her that I have no plans on proposing any time soon, I just want to know what you like so it doesn't ring any alarm bells when I ask later. We went shopping and found the perfect ring, so she said she wanted one just like that one. I said okay, noted; then went and bought it two days later. I kept the ring hidden without the stone for a year and a half. I didn't want to be cliche and plan a proposal trip or something where you see the proposal coming a mile away. I realized we planned a trip back to Mt. Vernon for the alumni game, which meant the universe had provided my opportunity. I bought the stone, told her family so they could be a part of it, and made sure she got her nails done before the trip. I had many collaborators who made this moment possible and can't say thank you enough to everyone involved. So now I knew where, I knew when, but I wasn't sure about how? It was obvious that there was only one place it could happen: the place where our roads converged and were never the same. So, when the time came, ring in my pocket, I said to her that I needed to pick something up from a friend in one of the dorms, and I invited her to join me. She replied, "can't you just go get it by yourself?" uhhhh no I think you should probably join me. So then we walked over with her friend Brittany so I could "show Brittany around," and once we got to the spot where we first met almost seven years ago, I said "fun fact about this spot is that this is actually where Syd and I first met, where our paths came together, so I thought this would be a good place to ask 'Would you marry me?'" *cue tears and cheers from her, our friends, family, coaches, and so many people we've met on this life we're building together* Like I said, when you're talking about marriage, the timeline is forever, and I can't wait to spend forever with you, Syd.