Oops we eloped and forgot to celebrate! Finally let's party!

We were in the same unit and had a few interactions that did NOT set a romantic tone. First: Dani was a passenger on a flight in which Brandon was the crewchief. He leaned straight into her to reach for a rag behind the seat. Dani thought he was completely rude; she looked at him with all her sass and said, "Excuse you, sergeant." Second: For the first AT/ECT that the unit had with Blackhawks Brandon and Dani integrated again. Brandon had just returned from the unit after being down at Fort Campbell for a year and was the Subject Matter Expert on operations with a Blackhawk and works along side the then CPT Bauer. Dani was the Distro Platoon leader which would det up for their refueling and re-arming operations, so she was working very closely with Mr. Bauer and in turn, Brandonw as there as well. Dani remembers Brandon always standing in the corner often with shades on, looking completely pissed and unapproachable. Third: During Dani's time at the Blackhawk unit (8-229) she was the Unit Public Affairs Representative. Due to this she often had pictures of the unit on her social media, which caused many people to add her so they could download the pictures and tag themselves. Brandon was tagged in some of her photos by a unit member, thus linking them on social media. Dani left the aviation world in pursuit of a job in civil affairs; however, 2 years later, their paths would cross again.

Brandon had been single for years after a serious relationship ending badly and Dani had just had a relationship end badly a few months prior. He had been watching her posts on social media as she persued her own happiness and focused on herself. She was posting about her new church and her new gym just about daily. He had just returned from his first deployment to Afghanistan. Church and working out seemed like a perfect in. He messaged her on Facebook, and she politely responded, just as she would for anyone. He continued to message her almost daily; she was oblivious, completely focused on living her best life and hanging out with a friend she reconnected with from 8-229 AVN BN. He eventually asked for her number so he could more easily ask her questions about her church and gym; he was looking for both as he just returned home to the area. Dani was still oblivious. He text her one night asking if he could call. She told him sure, but he had to be quick because she was packing for 2 weeks in the field. WHen he called he spent about 45 minutes telling her how great she was, finally she very bluntly asked him to get to the point and what he was getting at. He stubled and them asked her on a date. She quickly shot him down; she was an officer, and he was an NCO; they were not allowed to date. However, as the regulation and standards man, Brandon had already thought of that and was prepared. After being shot down so quickly, he retorted, quoting the regulation and where the loophole for them due to both being TPU existed. Dani was speechless. Who the heck was this guy quoting the regulation? What is wrong with him?! She stuttered, "Oh," and then told him she was still uncomfortable. Brandon remained patiently and politely persistent over the next few weeks, just one date, if she wasn't feeling it then that would be the end. He then took her to the Balloon Glow during derby week. He pulled up in the big white truck. She was prepared to look as simple as possible. She wore a white t-shirt, jean shorts, and no makeup and just left her hair down, to show him how uninterested she would be. They went to the food trucks at water front for corn dogs and fries, then headed to the balloon glow. He was smart, witty, sarcastic, and unbelievably kind. They had so much in common, but she wasn't ready to date, especially an NCO. After they went to ihop for food. Dani was staring and ordered a meal and 2 sides, eating every bit. He dropped her off, and Dani thought that would be the end of that. Instead, due to her rekindling of her friendship from 8-229, they had a connection and began to hang out with mutual friends. Eventually the relationship evolved and their love blossomed.

It was coming up on four years of dating. They had survived a one-year deployment, moving in together, being stuck together for a year during a world-wide pandemic, getting a rowdy little puppy, and buying a house. Their lives where in a strange place. His stepmom just passed, the world was just getting out of lockdown, and family relationships were struggling, but they two things they knew they had was the Lord and each other. Brandon had been wanting to pop the question, and the perfect opportunity arose. He was being sent to an Army Aviation convention for an organization called Quad-A, and it was going to be held at the Opryland Hotel. This hotel was the first ever trip they took together. It was just before his deployment and where they both first said those three special words. He quickly began planning the details. The morning Dani was set to come down, the day he would pop the question, Dani woke up excited, not just to spend time with him down there, but it was also Aprils Fools Day. Dani knew she had to come up with something, so while dropping the dogs off at the kennel, she asked the workers to help prank Brandon. They excitedly agreed; however, they took the prank too far. They called him and said their feisty little girl pup bit someone's finger off. They told him Dani was outside in the car crying uncontrollably and that they needed someone to get the dogs. Brandon was in a straight panic. They would have to put the dog down, Dani wasn't going to make it to the hotel, and all his plans were a mess. Dani quickly called him after the office was done pranking him to tell him, it was a joke and they just took it too far. Brandon was not happy. Luckily, Dani made it down, and Brandon led her to where they were "having dinner," passing a waterfall and stopping by a magical fountain, where he dropped to one knee and asked her to become his wife.