Z | H

It all began on an ordinary Thursday night- the kind you don't expect to change your life. I had just finished my first year of doctor of physical therapy school, and my friends and I were celebrating with a movie and one last night of dancing before summer break. While we were playing cornhole at the Electric Cowboy, two guys walked up... and then quickly walked away. Or so we thought. A little while later, one of them returned. He asked if we wanted to learn how to dance - unbeknownst to me, he only looked at me. Since I have two left feet, I told him "no", but my friend volunteered me and nudged me off my stool. I nearly fell flat on my face, but managed to recover with minimal grace. As we walked to the dance floor, we started introducing ourselves - just in time for him to walk straight into a bar and almost fall over. That was when I knew: I couldn't possibly be more embarrassed than him. The bar was nearly empty that night, but we danced for what felt like hours. I kept telling him to leave - it was supposed to be a friend's night after all - but he kept coming back each time a "good dancing song" came on. Before we said goodbye, he asked if I'd be coming back that weekend. I told him no, I was headed home to Tennessee for the three-week break. He said he was going to be there all weekend, teaching dance, if I changed my mind. I boldly asked for his number, to which he then asked for mine. I only provided the following "Zoe, Harding DPT" and cell phone number. If he liked me, he would work to find out what DPT meant. LATER THAT NIGHT (on the 1-hour drive back to Searcy, AR). Hayden texted me: "What does a guy have to do to get your last name?" I replied, "Take me to dinner first.". We messaged back and forth until 4 am, and crazy enough, he had to be up for work at 6 am. 6 MONTHS LATER, Hayden revealed to me that he was not planning on going out to the bar, but something told him he needed to go. After playing a few games of slow-pitch softball, he walked into the bar to see me standing right in front. He met up with his friends to see if they knew who the group of girls in matching tennis skirts was, to which they said no. After a while, Hayden says he saw what seemed like an angel over me, as if God pointed an arrow to follow like Google Maps.

The next day, Hayden drove 4 HOURS to pick me up, only because he was so distracted talking to me that he missed the exit. Somewhere along the way, we got turned around to which I joked that he was going to murder me- he panicked and clarified that it was definitely a joke. We ended up at Texas Roadhouse, to which he was amazed that I had worked as a server at the chain for four years and still enjoyed the food. Hayden says he knew I was a good pick when I ordered the same steak (his was bigger, of course), cooked at the same temperature as him, Medium Rare. After dinner, he asked if I wanted to go dancing again. I said I did not have the right shoes to dance in. So he drove me to Walmart, in downtown Little Rock... if you know you know... That night, we danced until our feet hurt and laughed until our heads did too. It felt so natural that strangers asked how long we'd been together and didn't believe it was our first date. On the drive back to Searcy, I fell asleep on his arm while listening to him sing along to the radio. He walked me to my door, gave me a hug goodnight, and we haven't stopped talking ever since. For the three weeks I was back in Soddy Daisy, TN, we called, texted, and Facetimed every day. We have been inseparable ever since.

Since that first dance, we’ve lived a full story already — one of laughter, challenges, growth, and God’s guidance. In August 2024, I started my second year of PT school — a season filled with long nights, stress, and emotional ups and downs. We had our share of tough moments, but through it all, we knew God had brought us together for a reason. We had each prayed that if He were to send someone into our lives, it would be His timing — and when we stopped looking, we found each other. Since starting my second year of school, he’s been my test subject for school, my cross-country road trip partner, my Christmas movie partner, my patient dance instructor, and my biggest encourager. He’s helped me pack and move for clinicals, joined my family for holidays, and become part of my everyday. One of our favorite memories was dancing under the stars in the middle of a field. Hayden suggested a Cody Johnson song and tried to teach me the “candlestick” — a dance move that involves a literal forearm handstand on his shoulders. I crashed immediately, of course. But he caught me — and he always has.

By early 2025, we had started talking seriously about the future. We knew we were building something steady, like a perfectly stacked Jenga tower. Still incomplete, but every piece fit just right. We casually looked at rings one day, but little did I know, Hayden went back to the drawing board, and with the assistance of a friend, designed the ring of my dreams. Every time I stayed over, he secretly used a ring from my Nannie to size-check the one he had made — making sure it was perfect. Fast forward to May 2025. Finals were over, and I was headed to his apartment to celebrate. One of our friends, a photographer, asked to take some pictures of us for her portfolio. Hayden thought it was a great idea since we barely had any professional photos (just a lot of selfies and awkward family shots). When I arrived, he saw how stressed I was and offered to treat me to a celebratory nail appointment. The next morning, he was in an unusually great mood — made my coffee, helped me get ready, and sent me off to the salon. When I got in the car, a gift card to Seven Brew coffee fell from the visor and smacked me in the face. After the nail appointment, I was so upset because my nails were not what I wanted. I thought my nails looked like bullets thanks to the chrome finish, but he swore they were beautiful. He went to 5 different stores with me to find the perfect dress for these photos. That evening, we met our friend for the photoshoot in a little field. After some giggles, fake drunk walks, and posed pictures, he stood behind me for a shot — and then crouched down. I thought his jeans were stuck in his boots and nearly scolded him for ruining all the photos… but he was actually pulling out the ring box. He was kneeling down in a little hole in the ground, looking up at me with tears in his eyes. He said something I barely remember (because shock will do that), and then asked me the question: “Will you be my best friend forever?” My first response? “Are you sure?” When he said yes, so did I. Afterward, I asked for a Sonic lemonade and kept repeating “We’re engaged” like a broken record. I confessed that when he popped the question, the ring was missing from the holder and I thought he was messing with me. We laughed about it and you can see it missing in our photos. We FaceTimed my family and friends, and before I knew it, we were pulling up to his mom’s house, where the street was full of cars and the driveway was lined with people for the surprise engagement party he had planned. I felt like a Hallmark movie bride.

Since getting engaged, life hasn’t always been picture-perfect. Balancing PT school and an electrical apprenticeship isn't easy. We've had disagreements, long nights, and moments of doubt. But none of that matters when you’re anchored in love — and more importantly, when you're anchored in God. We believe the most important thing we can do is keep Him at the center of our relationship. Without Him, there would be no us. Every day, we remind each other to trust His timing, pursue His purpose, and hold each other accountable in faith. We're so excited to begin this next chapter — as husband and wife, best friends, and forever dance partners.