We're getting married!

Summer of 2019: I was the pool attendant, and Pat was the bartender. Isn't that how every great love story starts? We'd steal glances at each other while I was fishing bandaids out of the pool. I found out that he didn't have a girlfriend and he was getting his Masters at USC, where I was currently working on getting my Bachelor's degree. September 19, 2019: our first date at Sonic near my apartment, where I copied Pat's order and got a strawberry milkshake even though I'm more of a cookie dough blast girl. I really wanted him to like me! October 29, 2019: Pat "officially" asked me to be his girlfriend...I was so happy! February 2020: our first trip together to St. Augustine, Florida. We got to explore the Flagler campus, where he graduated previously with his undergrad degree. Late February 2020: COVID struck and the whole world pretty much shut down...but our love kept on burning; we had plenty of long, late night phone calls and Facetimes. November 2021: we moved in together! Sharing a one-bedroom apartment with him was the easiest and most fun thing I've ever done. People say that once you live with someone, you truly know them (in both good ways and bad ways); with Pat, I KNEW that I wanted to be with him forever. We made so many successful (and subpar) dinners, watched silly reality TV, and got to meet even more of each other's friends. We now had our own space for hosting! August 2023: we UPGRADED! We bought a house together in Blythewood, South Carolina. If I thought living together in an apartment was nice, this was AMAZING. Having triple the amount of space, space that we now OWNED, all while still being together and making it our own? There is nothing else like it! After about a year of being in our house, both Pat and I started dropping hints. I wanted to get married! It seems he did, too. We were very open about it, and he even told me the day that he was going to look at rings with his parents. He didn't provide more details other than that (even though I definitely pried) but he came home happy, and I knew that was a good sign. October 22, 2024: we got engaged! I came home to a trail of rose petals and candles, leading their way to Pat kneeling on one knee. I knew it was happening soon, but I didn't know when. I certainly didn't expect it to be on a Tuesday evening after we got home from work; I do think that is what made it so special. In true Delaney fashion, I started crying immediately. The ring was beautiful and Pat was so good with his words. It was a blur! I don't think I even remembered to say yes! But my sweet Pat knew the answer. October 29, 2024: we returned from a trip to Disney World where we wore "Happily Ever After" buttons the entire time, where the cast members all congratulated us, and where Delaney chickened out and waited for Pat to ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. It was so magical. The day we returned home was also our 5 year anniversary of dating! Now we're in the midst of wedding planning, something I've been dreaming about for a long time. They always say you find your person when you're least expecting it!