We're getting married!

It all started at a music festival in New Orleans. I was organizing a trip with a large group of friends, and Tim wasn't originally supposed to come on the trip, but he bit the bullet last minute and came along (thank goodness). Within a day, I could tell that there was something different about Tim- and I could tell that he 'saw' me too. The last evening (or morning?) in NOLA, we found ourselves dancing to salsa music on Bourbon St. laughing uncontrollably. The next morning when we all had to say goodbye (until we all made it back to Charlotte), he kissed me goodbye as I got in the Uber. As we drove away, I said to myself "I'm going to marry that boy one day"

Tim and I spent Christmas with our own families, but they day after Christmas Tim hit the road to NC from Ohio to spend a few days at the farm with my family. Unbeknownst to me, the night before he proposed, Tim showed my dad the ring and said "So tomorrow I'm planning on asking Rachel to marry me," and my dads response was "Well Tim that makes me very happy to hear!" So I guess that meant he had my dads permission :) The next day Tim and I packed some sandwiches and went on a hike at Eno Mountain. We saw some beautiful sights and ate a picnic afterwards and enjoyed spending the afternoon together. On our way back home, Tim asked me if I wanted to go to the Cow Barn, and I said "Sure? We can go there if you want!" This wasn't out of the question because Tim loves the barn, so I didn't think anything of it. We got out and walked over to the baby cows, and all of the sudden Tim starts pulling something out of his coat pocket and I immediately thought "Oh my gosh, it's happening!!" He got down on one knee and said "Every day I fallen more and more in love with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Rachel Elizabeth Sykes, will you marry me?" and it was the easiest YES I've ever said <3