If you had told either of us that our love story started on a hunting trip when I was 5 years old and Tom was 10, we probably wouldn't have believed you. But here we are. Our dads have known each other for years, and one fall day they brought us along on a hunting trip together. I spent the whole time worried about the birds. Tom couldn't care less about girls. Needless to say, nothing came of it... and after that trip, we never crossed paths again. For 22 years, we lived completely separate lives, never knowing the other was out there. Fast forward to July 15th, 2022. I was running late (per usual) to a surprise award presentation from TxDOT for Buz at LSA. The plan was simple... get everyone seated under the guise of a staff meeting, and then TxDOT along with Buz's family, would walk in with his award as the big surprise. What I didn't know was that the surprise wouldn't just be for Buz. Now, back up to me running late... I got out of my car, already flustered from being late, and started rushing across the street... that's when I spotted the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my life. I stopped for just a moment and thought to myself: "I'm going to marry him one day". But I was really late, and couldn't exactly manufacture a casual run-in, so I did the only thing I could think of... I said a quiet prayer and asked God to play matchmaker for me. He answered faster than I expected. A few minutes later, everyone was seated and the surprise happened. Buz arrived thinking it was just a routine meeting, and then his wife and son walked in the room with TxDOT ready to present his award. His son. The guy from the street. Standing right in front of me. That guy was Tom Elsom. The very same person my mom had been telling me for years I should reach out to, because, and I quote, "you two would make such a cute couple." Mothers always know. We were both far too shy to say anything to each other that day... but God had already planted the seed. Over the following months we slowly found each other on social media, and on April 21st, 2023, we went on our first date. We haven't stopped since. Now, on September 13th, 2026, in front of the people we love most, we're making it official. We are so grateful you're here to celebrate with us!