Callaway and I met on a blind date. He was introduced to me by a mutual connection after I mentioned wanting to meet someone and go on a date. A few weeks after mentioning this, they asked me if they could pass along my phone number to Callaway only telling me he was in the Navy, liked to Kayak, and showing me a rather handsome photo of him. Callaway was very quick to send me a text wanting to get to know me before asking me to get coffee later that weekend.

Our first date was at Three Ships Coffee, a local spot that would go on to become our spot. Nervous, I arrived first and Callaway arrived just seconds behind me. After an awkward side hug when I introduced myself, we ordered our coffees and sat outside, talking easily and sharing stories. Hours flew by without us even realizing, and before we knew it, we had closed down the coffee shop. We weren’t quite ready to end the date, so we decided to take a walk along the boardwalk. Six hours later, we finally agreed it was time to say goodbye and end the date.

From there, Callaway continued to surprise me with spontaneous, thoughtful dates, and it didn’t take long for us to realize how deeply we had connected. It was clear to both of us that God had a hand in bringing us together, and the more we got to know each other, the more we saw how perfectly our paths had crossed. I had been praying for a date not expecting anything more and come to find out he had also been praying that he would meet the person who was out there for him. Looking back, it was impossible to deny that God had a hand in this, bringing us together in the most unexpected, perfect way.

A month later, Callaway asked me to be his girlfriend at the top of the Cape Henry lighthouse on another spontaneous, surprise date he had planned.

Fast forward to August, 10 months later. We were grabbing coffee again at Three Ships Coffee, a routine that had become a meaningful part of our relationship. This time, however, it would end up meaning the most! Callaway had just been selected for Chief in the Navy, and we were trying to carve out a little time for ourselves amidst the busyness of Chief season. After church, we decided to go grab a coffee —same spot, same coffee, same table from our first date.

As we sat and ate breakfast sandwiches, Callaway did what he always did—finished his food and moved to sit beside me. Or so I thought. Mid-bite into my biscuit, I casually looked up, expecting him to sit next to me, but instead, there he was, on one knee beside me, holding a pink ring box in his hand.

All I could say was, “Is this really happening?” because I was in complete shock. But after a (long) moment of disbelief, a few happy tears, and chewing through the surprise, I, of course, said yes.

And now, here we are, ready to take on the next chapter of our lives together. Whether we’re out fishing, kayaking, working on projects around the house, or just enjoying a quiet night watching our favorite shows, we’re excited for all the moments that lie ahead. We know we’re in this adventure together and are prayerful that God will continue to bless our relationship and our future marriage.