It was love at first swipe! Kaitlyn and Justin met on the dating app, Bumble, and matched with each other in May of 2024. Justin was instantly smitten with Kaitlyn’s cheeky smile, joyful presence, and love for the Lord. He was so excited to get to know her! Kaitlyn reached out first with the sweetest message, and their conversation buzzed and blossomed from there. After messaging for a couple of days, they discovered that they both liked jazz, chai lattes, the arts, and a heart for serving the Lord - a perfect match!

Due to a hectic work schedule, Justin forgot to message Kaitlyn back for three days!!! Oh no!!! Thankfully, she graciously understood when he reached back out. He quickly asked her out for coffee, and she said yes! They met at Just Love Cafe in Cypress, Texas on May 31, 2024. They both enjoyed hot chai lattes while talking about their faith, family, music, and hobbies until the shop was closing. Having had a lovely time, Kaitlyn quickly expressed that she wanted to see Justin again as he walked her to her car. Justin was so happy that she felt the same way and looked forward to seeing her again!

At the first date, Kaitlyn invited Justin to visit her church one Sunday. Justin was looking for a new church home and felt like this was a calling from the Lord to accept this request. Hoping this wasn’t too eager, Justin texted Kaitlyn the next day and asked to visit that Sunday, a day later! After worship, a great sermon, and meeting Kaitlyn’s church family as her “special friend," it was evident everyone was so nice and welcoming. Justin saw how fiercely Kaitlyn was loved and protected; he knew he had found something special. They went to lunch at Coco’s Crepes in Vintage Park afterwards and grew more interested in each other.

The next week, Kaitlyn and Justin went to the Potter’s Wheel, a paint-your-own pottery store for their third date. They both chose to paint mugs, and each turned out equally unique. But, Kaitlyn was the better artist. The date continued with ice cream from Creamistry where Justin tried Key Lime ice cream for the first time on Kaitlyn’s recommendation. It was a hit! Before the night was over, Kaityn had extra tickets to see the Houston Ballet the next day and asked if he was interested.

Justin gleefully accepted Kaitlyn’s invitation to watch the Houston Ballet. He was excited to see a professional ballet for the first time and for the prospect of a chance to get dressed up! With outfits coordinated, they looked stunning together already. Justin was smitten! They both enjoyed the ballet and laughed at the remarks a small girl made behind them during the performance - she did not like one of the pieces very much. Afterwards, they met up to get mango smoothies and enjoyed each other’s company more and more.

Justin and Kaitlyn could not see enough of each other! They went to Plum Coffee (which to date is the best chai latte in town) after church and played a board game. For the 6th date, he was invited over to Kaitlyn’s house for dinner with her and her younger sister, Rebecca. They made fajitas and had a blast playing a board game together. Justin got the important seal of approval from Rebecca after the evening was over. For the 7th date, Justin went all out to impress Kaitlyn and arranged a city-wide adventure from thrift stores, to scoping out Half-Priced Books for hidden gems, and a homemade drive-in movie experience! After the movie , they took a walk around the park where they *held hands* for the first time!! They both expressed what they were looking for in a potential relationship, and both felt the same way about each other on all the important subjects.

Kaitlyn and Justin were both about to go out of town in a few days to visit their friends, attend a wedding, and meet new family members! At the end of the last date, Justin gave Kaitlyn a letter he wrote sharing his heart about what a wonderful time it has been getting to know her and how he thinks it may lead to something special. He wanted to give Kaitlyn the opportunity to pray about this possibility over her break and still connect as much as possible. They called each other every day while gone and enjoyed sharing fun details of their trips. Justin’s friend Laura heard him talking to Kaitlyn on the phone and remarked, “Oh, Justin, she likes you a lot! I can just tell by her voice!” They both couldn’t wait to be back home.

On July 12, 2024, Kaitlyn and Justin were finally reunited! They met over dinner to try Thai pho soup for the first time. During the date, Kaitlyn was so eager to ask if they were officially dating that she came right out and asked! Justin was planning to ask her later in the evening, but he couldn’t bear to wait any longer either. He asked her to be his girlfriend, and she said a resounding YES! They ended the night with jasmine boba tea and lots of smiles. And just like that, their journey of a lifetime began.

Kaitlyn and Justin could not be more in love after a year and a half together! Justin knew from the moment they met that he wanted to marry Kaitlyn and build a wonderful life with her. He spent 2 months planning the perfect proposal, reaching out to childhood friends, mentors, and family along the way to make this day memorable. On the big day, Kaitlyn was kept busy by Natalie, a childhood friend, until the time was right. She opened a letter Justin wrote telling her to change into a dress he picked out and to meet him at a park in Cypress just before sunset. He had scouted a shrub maze where all around he set candles and pictures from their time together. There was a big oak tree at the center of the maze Justin had wrapped in twinkling lights. When Kaitlyn arrived, Justin walked her through the maze while reading a heartfelt note and holding her hand the whole way. When they reached the oak tree Justin asked Kaitlyn to marry him, and Kaitlyn jumped for joy with a giddy YES!