K | J

Joey and I met at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, where we lived on the same floor, just a few doors down, in Steagall Hall. We spent most of our freshman year flirting, snapchatting, hanging out, trying to find moments when we might accidentally see each other in the hallway (at least I did!) Ever since I met Joey - I knew something was different. I knew it was God telling me that he was "the one," the perfect guy for me, but let's be honest - with the thick eye liner and social awkwardness - there wasn't a lot of other "ones" to be confused with! I would even pray to God saying "I feel like Joey is it- he is the one I know I have been waiting for. But by your divine power please help Joey make a move." I was getting a little impatient, and the Lord knew Joey needed some courage.

Finally - on May 10th, 2017 we made it official! We were pretty inseparable throughout college. We were "Kirt and Joey," one never without the other. Farmhouse parties and formals, PK's breakfasts, Key West birthdays (the dingy Carbondale bar of course), late night Changos - we did it all together. We spent summers apart, but visited each other every chance we got! And although the Newman center was a less frequented location during our college days - I still thanked God almost every day that he led us to one another.

March 2020 - Joey and I were going to set out on a long road trip to visit family and partake in several interviews we had lined up as we were about to graduate. A series of unfortunate events - a car accident, tire blowouts, a car fire on the side of the highway in the rain, missing our spring break trip with friends, and finally the whole world shutting down due to COVID- all truly tested us, but I wouldn't have traded any of those moments for the world! And yet again - I thanked God we were alive and experiencing life together! May 2020 - without an official graduation of course, I set out to move all the way up to the Quad Cities where I had accepted a position at Rockridge High School as the new Ag teacher. Joey would move back home to finish out his seasonal job at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Although separated, we knew we would be together soon, still visiting each other almost every weekend driving two and a half hours each way. September 2020 - our sweet puppy Derry is born! We picked him up the day before Thanksgiving, and then Joey and Derry moved out to the Quad Cities in December once Joey's seasonal work was finished - I was truly blessed and my heart full! Fast forward to April of 2022, we buy our first house together in the little town of Edgington - a beautiful home to call our own! And again - I thank God for providing. I thank God that after nearly 5 years, Joey has finally seen me grow out of the thick eyeliner phase and I have seen him grow into his mustache phase, but "by your divine power God, I think Joey might need some more courage to propose," or something to that effect.

For a much needed spring break, we decide to go to Galena. Joey, very carefully and intricately planning, had booked a spa day as my Valentine's Day gift just a month prior. I had a thought run through my mind that maybe he was finally going to propose, God has answered my prayers! But I quickly talked myself out of it because there is no way he would be so calm and collected. I attend my spa session, Joey picks me up and we head back to our cute little hotel, we open the door and there is a beautiful display of champagne and flowers! Joey gets down on one knee and the rest is history...

With a past and present so intricately planned and written by God, our future is truly blessed. Our lives and our relationship has not been perfect, but I thank God that He created Joey, the perfect one for me. We cannot wait to celebrate this blessed day with all of our loved ones and be reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:13- "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."