WE MET THROUGH MUTUAL FRIENDS AT A CLASSIC OLD TOWN BAR.... BEVVY. WE CONNECTED OVER BOTH BEING GRADUATES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, AND LAUGHED THAT WE SOMEHOW HAD NEVER MET PRIOR DESPITE KNOWING MANY OF THE SAME PEOPLE DURING OUR UNDERGRADUATE TIME. AFTER A NIGHT OF DANCING, LAUGHS AND A FEW TOO MANY GREEN TEAS... OUR FRIENDSHIP BEGAN AND WE BECAME INSTANTLY CLOSE FRIENDS OVER THE MONTHS TO FOLLOW. AS OUR FRIENDSHIP PROGRESSED, DEREK STARTED TO SHOW HE WAS INTERESTED IN MORE THAN A FRIENDSHIP WITH LEXIE. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR LEXIE TO SEE THE SAME POSSIBILITY, AND WE SHARED OUR FIRST KISS AT THE SAME PLACE WE FIRST MET. IT HAS BEEN SO SPECIAL TO HAVE STARTED OUR RELATIONSHIP AS TRUE FRIENDS AND EXPERIENCE IT GROW INTO THE SWEET ROMANCE WE HAVE TODAY.

ONE THING WE HAVE IN COMMON IS OUR LOVE FOR A LAZY BEACH VACATION. FOR THIS REASON, DEREK DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO PROPOSE TO LEXIE WHILE ON A FAMILY TRIP WITH THE LIMKES IN MAUI, HAWAII. THE TRIP STARTED OFF A LITTLE CHAOTIC WITH A NEAR MISSED FLIGHT AND LOST LUGGAGE, BUT WE WERE SO EXCITED TO BE IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND (UNKNOWN TO LEXIE) SOON CELEBRATE AS AN ENGAGED COUPLE! DEREK PLANNED TO PROPOSE ON THE FIRST NIGHT ON THE ISLAND. HE SUGGESTED WE GO GRAB SOME HAPPY HOUR ON OUR OWN PRIOR TO HAVING DINNER WITH THE FAMILY. WHILE WE WERE ENJOYING COCKTAILS AND THE OCEAN VIEW, DEREK'S FAMILY WAS SETTING UP A BEAUTIFUL SURPRISE WITH CANDLES AND BLANKETS ON THE BEACH DURING SUNSET. DEREK THEN SUGGESTED A SUNSET WALK ON THE SHORE, WHERE WE TURNED A CORNER AND LEXIE SAW THE CANDLES IN THE SAND. DEREK NELT DOWN AND ASKED LEXIE TO SPEND THE REST OF OUR LIVES TOGETHER. THE ANSWER WAS THE EASIEST YES OF LEXIE'S LIFE! WE THEN GOT TO SPEND THE REST OF THE WEEK CELEBRATING IN HAWAII AND SOAKING IN OUR NEW MILESTONE AS FIANCÉS!

SINCE OUR ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE BEEN ENJOYING EACH STEP AND EXPERIENCING MANY MORE MILESTONES IN OUR LIVES TOGETHER. FROM CELEBRATING GRADUATIONS, SCORING NEW JOBS, LOVING ON BABY NEPHEWS AND MULTIPLE MOVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EACH DAY WE GET MORE EXCITED ABOUT SHARING THE REST OF OUR LIVES WITH EACH OTHER. OUR NEXT ADVENTURE WILL BE OUR MOVE TO DALLAS, TEXAS WITH OUR LITTLE FAMILY (🐾 MURPHY & MILLIE INCLUDED!🐾). WE CANNOT WAIT TO CELEBRATE ALL THESE MILESTONES AND OUR BIGGEST ONE YET, OUR MARRIAGE, WITH YOU ALL!