We first met at 8 years old, when Karina moved to my elementary school. We were both in Mrs. Relph’s 3rd grade class, and, funny enough, I already had a crush on her. Unfortunately feelings were not mutual. Years later, in 8th grade, we found ourselves sharing much of the same schedule. What began as jokes in class soon turned into real conversations, and before long, we were talking all the time. On October 19th, we officially started “dating,” though at that stage it mostly meant our parents driving us around. By the end of our sophomore year, our relationship had already weathered both COVID and the ups and downs of high school. Around that time, Karina’s family made the decision to move to Montana. At first, the distance felt overwhelming, and it was a difficult season for us. Looking back, those years helped us grow both individually and together in monumental ways we never expected. We trusted in God and the reward was priceless. For two years we managed long distance, going up to 6 months without seeing each other, time after time. Then, when I moved to Spokane for college, our distance shortened from seven hours to just two and a half. This gave us the chance to see each other more often and brought us into a new chapter of our relationship. By our fifth year together, I knew without a doubt that God had placed my future wife in front of me. After much prayer and discernment, I decided I wanted to propose in the summer. With my parents’ full support, I visited Karina’s family and, while she was briefly out of the room, asked her parents for their blessing. To my surprise, they had been waiting for me to ask. On June 17th, 2025, I got down on one knee and asked Karina to marry me. She said yes! Now we are walking through this time of preparation with joy and gratitude, seeking to center our lives on God and one another as we get ready for the sacred covenant of marriage. We humbly ask for your prayers, for our marriage, and for a long and faithful life together. Jesus we trust in you. -- Xavier