The one where we say i do!

Just like any other Tinderella story this one has highs and lows, so buckle up and enjoy the ride! I went to visit my brother for the Weekend to do some DIY projects for Ben and get some Sushi Burrito. While there I opened up Tinder and matched with this cute little blonde from Anderson. We spent the day texting away (me texting her cause she would give me one word responses for the most part...). I went back home to West Columbia after lunch Sunday to find out Carmen would be going home to Columbia Monday morning to get to work. She went to bed early Sunday night and told me if I wanted to call her on her way to work Monday morning I could and that she was leaving at 5:45AM. She wanted to put the ball in my court and put me to the test! I went to bed already knowing I was going to call, so I set my alarm for 6:30 so I didn't seem too needy and desperate to get her to like me. However God decided on other plans, He woke me up EXACTLY at 5:45 with no alarm set! I knew that was a sign I needed to call her and get to know her more, so I called her EXACTLY at 5:45 AM just to be sent straight to voicemail with nothing but crickets on the other side... I thought she played me so I went back to sleep just to be woken up by Carmen calling me and apologizing for not answering because her phone was on do not disturb until 7:00. She also didn't think I was going to call but I don't miss when the ball is in my court. We talked and decided to meet in person Tuesday night at Newspring, we ate, talked with friends, and eventually worshiped. This is where I saw Carmen worship for the first time and God told me "that's your wife" THAT my friends is how this CRAZY love story began.... To be continued ;)

2020 started off great ringing in the new decade at the Passion conference in Atlanta, but then it quickly went down hill from there. My tight-knit school community experienced two tragedies; I went through a break up, and I totaled my brand new car. Yes, this was all before January 31st hit. I jokingly told everyone in my life that my 2020 started in February. Little did I know how prophetic that would be. On February 2nd, I matched with Will on Tinder. Yes, of all places. What can I say? God works in unconventional ways. He was at his brother's house, and I was at my parents' trying to sort out everything after my car wreck. After many messages back and forth, we came to find out that we both actually lived in Columbia. I'll be honest, most of my responses were one word. I honestly don't know why he continued to give me the time of the day; I know it is hard to believe, but I might have been a tad bit mean. Will likes to say that I was guarded. After texting back and forth most of the day, I finally decided I needed to go to bed. I had to leave in the morning by 5:45 to get to work on time. Despite what it looked like with the one word responses, I was intrigued by him. So, I sent THE text that I honestly feel like starts it all: "The ball is in your court; I'll be on the road from 5:45 - 7:15ish" He sent back: "I don't miss." Fast forward to the next day, and I was leaving my parents for CMS. I was getting my GPS set up when I saw I had a missed call. I thought to myself that there was NO way that missed call was from Will. Yet, it was. I called him back immediately apologizing for my phone going straight to voicemail as my phone was on Do Not Disturb. He said he was thinking I had played him like a fiddle. I felt SO bad. Now, I know that he had planned on calling, but his alarm wasn't set for 5:45. God had woken him up. Safe to say, He has been writing our love story ever since.

The day finally came for me to ask Carmen to marry me. Thanks to Michael and Bess Jones, Carmen was CLUELESS with what was about to take place. I drove o the Jones' before I had work to drop off a few things for the big day. While driving I found myself bawling my eyes out to any sappy song that came on (just to get ridiculed by Ryan... This is why you don't share things with friends). I was also talking very fast and shaky because Bess kept asking me if I was ok... I got off of work earlier than normal to set up the rose petals I got and spell out Carmen's favorite Bible verse on the Jones boat (they make this look easier in the movies) because if Bess wasn't there I'd still be trying to spell my first letter (the nerves didn't help)... I was able to sneak Tori into the house and hide her car so Carmen wouldn't know she was there. It was almost perfect Carmen had the idea of getting her nails done after work since she hadn't in awhile (she ended up not...) She also said she was going home early to change before coming to the Jones to change (which she did not...) she insisted on working until the last minute and coming in hot on two wheels just in time. I called her to see where she was just to find out she was about to turn into the driveway, so I sprinted inside to notify the others and get her from the car (Tori still had to hide). We walk inside to Bess explaining how we should go on a boat ride since it was so nice out, so we walked down slower than a sloth (Carmen was beyond dragging her feet)! We got to the boat and she began to read the petals (knowing she'd see the big box in my pants pocket I had Addelyn come down the ramp with the ring in her hand and tap carmen on the back and say "Mrs. Carmen I think Mr. William wants to give you something)! I then got on one knee and popped the question which she said yes to. However I think she was more excited to find out Tori was there because she bolted to her and gave her a big hug.

I knew the proposal had to be coming because I had told Will I wanted a 10 month engagement, and we may or may not have already had a date picked out before we were engaged. I had told him I wanted it to be a surprise, alone, not near any birthdays/holidays, and photographed. Simple. Right? We were going up to my parents Labor Day weekend, and I was pretty sure that's where he was going to ask me. The dock at my parents' had meant a lot in our relationship. (It was our railroad trestle, iykyk). It was the perfect place. Earlier in the week, Bess texted in our group chat with the four of us inviting us over for dinner. I loved them, so I asked Will if he was also free for dinner Friday. He was. I was so excited. I remember telling Will: "They are just the sweetest people". Will mentioned a little later in the week that when he had talked to Michael, they mentioned taking the boat out to see the sunset. Um... yes! Fast forward to Friday, I work all day and decide to stay after school and work up until I had to leave for the Jones' house. Dinner was at 7:30, so I had plenty of time to get ahead with work stuff. I had thought about getting my nails done, but decided not to. Around 7, Will texted me that he had just gotten to the Jones' house, and what I was wearing. I sent him a selfie of me in my "One Happy School" t-shirt, and he told me Bess wasn't wearing a t-shirt. He didn't want me to feel underdressed. I decided just to roll with it. I got to the house, and Will met me outside. We walked in together, and Michael and Bess were their normal sweet selves-- asking how my day was etc for about 10 minutes. Then, they asked if we still wanted to go out on the boat, I was like yes! They sent us down to the dock on our own, and I thought for a second... "Is this about to happen?" but didn't see the box in any of his pockets. When we got down to the dock, I saw the rose petals and knew. He said some stuff. Addelyn came with the ring. He got on a knee. I said yes.