it all started at keswick park on april 12, 2023. we met at start of our friend group's weekly wednesday night pickleball. over the remainder of that spring and into the summer, we began a slow and steady friendship. we got to know each other between partnered pickleball rallies and the almost every day hangouts our friends would plan.

the air was full of laughter, freshly grilled burgers, and summer country classics, as we celebrated a house warming for our friends. james and i spent most of the night in conversations about any and everything. this was the turning point where we both knew there was something more than just friendship and fun pickleball partners.

over the months after the dresden drive house warming, james and i spent the time trusting the Lord in His timing. we spent many nights in deep conversation about how the Lord is working in each of our lives and hearts. for the sake of brevity, this is a story we are happy to share and a story that plays into each of our testimonies to the Lord's sweetness and kindness in preparing us for the relationship we have today. a story that is much longer than the character limit on zola will allow. after those formative months, labor day weekend brought the clarity, peace, and wisdom needed.

i had spent the last almost three months daydreaming about a first date with james. uninterrupted time to learn more about him and an opportunity for a night where i could shamelessly flirt and not have think twice about it. who wouldn't want that?? it was a cool rainy saturday. i can still feel the butterflies erupting in my stomach as i heard the knock on the door. i open the door to james holding flowers and the sweetest smile on his face. as we rode to forza storico, i know we had conversations, but for the life of me i cant remember what we talked about. all i remember is how at peace i felt sitting in the passenger seat listening to james sing along to the country playlist that was interceding the quiet moments. dinner was two hours of conversations about childhood memories, dream dogs, life goals, heartbreaks, and how thankful we are to be sitting across from each other. it felt like we were the other two people on the busy patio. whats dinner if not followed by dessert? we then spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing, and people watching at a local ice cream shop, morellis, down the corner from my place. plans of a second date were set before we even left morellis. it was 11:30 before we realized it. there was no question in my mind that this was the last first date i would ever have to go on.

you know those late 90s - early 2000s rom-com movies that have sun-soaked, perfectly-sound tracked montages? that's how the entirety of james and i's relationship has felt. even in the hard times or the trials the last year has shown that there is nothing that we can't face if we have the Lord writing our story. the Lord's kindness is interwoven in the silent moments as well as the chaotic ones. over the last year we made some of the best memories. the galley page is full of those moments!!

last fall we spent an amazing day in blue ridge -- learning even more about what makes anna so amazing. we topped off the day at brasstown bald with a beautiful sunset. after that day i knew this would be the perfect location. in early summer, i had planned a weekend for us to get away for a relaxing day near the end of a what would be a very busy summer. during july, i secured permission from anna's parents and the ring. the plan was coming together. august third came around and i was full of excitement, i just had to keep it contained throughout the day. that morning we drove up to blue ridge for apple picking followed by spending the afternoon walking around town popping in and out of stores. we had a great dinner in town and made our way up to brasstown. the 1.3 mile hike to the lookout felt like 10 but we made it, taking in the amazing views along the way. once at the lookout we made our way to a prime location to watch the sunset. as my excitement grew, i asked anna, "how long until golden hour? about 5 minutes?". she replied, "probably 20 or so". i immediately became super nervous not sure how to fill 20 the minutes. knowing i couldn't wait that long i picked a break in the clouds. a few minutes later, the sun hit the break, i turned and said "anna". she knew immediately, i got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage.