We decided on forever!

Ali & Josh met when they were in middle school. Their families worked and volunteered at Southeast Christian church and through those connecting points Ali & Josh met and interacted. Little moments like meeting each other's parents because they worked together (Ali's mom, Josh's dad) together at the church, or Josh working the ball fields where his mother was the league coordinator and Ali played ball there too. Even volunteering in the same ministries. Ali met Josh's little sister when she was a small group leader for the junior high ministry. Ali & Josh both worked as a photographer's assistant for the same photographer just at different times. All these little moments and they had no idea what the future held.

Josh and Ali somehow reconnected (they can agree it was through Snapchat, but how that even started neither party is sure of!). Josh reached out to Ali asking if the number he had was still hers. It was. Ali learned that Josh was a big Cincinnati Reds fan and was up in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati area for games. Ali offered to grab a beer with Josh the next time he was in town to catch up. Josh informed Ali that since they were both free, they were both going to a Reds game Sunday May 6th. The day was gorgeous and perfect. There might have been a mini adventure of Josh locking his keys in the running car. After the car issue was sorted, they grabbed a couple of pregame beers of the beautiful rooftop of Rhinegeist bar in Cincinnati. They headed to the game from there where Josh had bought some AMAZING seats behind third base. They laughed. They talked. They had a blast. The sunny skies turned to major storms and there was a rain delay. Stuck in the crowd of the middle of the concourse, Ali tried to politely inform Josh that the date was great, he seemed like a nice guy, but that she wasn't interested in long distance relationships, nor was she going to move back home to Louisville, nor was she leaving her job. Josh took it all in stride and just smiling and saying okay. Josh didn't let that stop him from pursuing her. Ali is grateful that Josh was never swayed by her speech during the rain delay. Six months later everything Ali said she wasn't going to do, she in fact did. Never say never folks.

Josh and Ali made the 100ish mile trek every other weekend through the summer and early fall. Spending every weekend with each other, growing closer through the distance, and quickly realizing this was something special. Something serious. In October of 2018, Ali's position at the nonprofit where she worked was eliminated. Ali and Josh had already begun discussing the possibility of Ali relocating back to Louisville, but they were looking at that happening in 2019. This bump meant making some choices.They took a leap of faith and decided to move in together. They worked together with friends and family to sell Ali's house in Northern Kentucky. The transition was hard, but through it all they made it work. They both had a lot of growing pains individually as well as a couple, but they've come through it all better and stronger.

Lots of life happening in a short period of time, but Ali and Josh never batted a lash. They just knew it was right. They just knew it was meant to be. Josh took Ali to Cincinnati "to do some Christmas things"....and on a walk across her favorite bridge (The Robeling bridge). Josh got on one knee and asked Ali to spend forever with him. Ali was completely shocked. She knew it was coming, but had convinced herself it'd be in Louisville. After the ugly crying and she said yes and they finished walking over the bridge where some of their closest friends and family waited to celebrate at their favorite taco place across from Great American ball park (and where they got dinner on their first date)