Brian and Ruth first met in the fall of 2023 at Pioneer Valley Baptist Church. Brian has lived in Massachusetts for a majority of his life, but Ruth moved in the late summer of 2023 to teach at a Christian school. It wasn't love at first sight, but it was in the making.

One Sunday Morning Brian approached his pastor's wife, Mrs. Montoro, and asked her about Ruth. She told Brian how amazing Ruth is and that she would be perfect for him. Brian responded with an “Okay, thanks!” Mrs. Montoro then asked, “Well are you going to approach her?” Brian said no that she could, and they both laughed and went on their ways.

About a month later, Brian wanted to know if Ruth was interested and messaged her. It took several hours for Ruth to respond because she wasn't looking for a relationship, and the message was very unexpected for her! They both prayed about it intentionally for a couple of weeks and sought council.

Memorial Day 2024 is where the dating stage began. They spent the afternoon together with friends but didn’t want to leave each other's side. For the first few months, they spent time getting to know each other and spent almost all their free time together. One of the first dates was mini golf where Brian said he was going to smoke Ruth in the game. She took that as a challenge, and they ended up tying, so much for winning! The rivalry began, and unfortunately, the closest Ruth has come to beating Brian was the tied game.

That summer, Ruth and Brian enjoyed kayaking, hiking,

going to Ruth's first Motocross race, watching fireworks, picnics, more mini golf, and anything else adventurous. They enjoyed creating memories and spending time together!

Midsummer also brought some important relationship milestones. On July 20, 2024, Brian finally asked to make the relationship official. They started the day in Brian’s backyard talking and expressing how blessed they were to have each other! Brian asked Ruth to be his girlfriend, and she said yes!

During the fall, they enjoyed craft fairs, the Big E, bonfires, and church functions. They took a quick trip to Maine where Ruth showed Brian where she grew up and the old farmhouse where she lived before moving to Massachusetts. Brian also popped the big question that fall.

On October 18, 2024, Brian and Ruth had made plans to go take pictures at the Gorge in Granville, Massachusetts. Ruth had no idea that Brian was planning on proposing there because he had made up a story to keep her from guessing when the proposal would happen. They hiked to the bottom of the gorge where Brian asked Ruth to marry him, and she said yes again!

Future Plans

Brian and Ruth plan to move to Maine where Ruth grew up in the summer of 2025 after Ruth finished the school year. They are excited to move to the country and Lord-willing raise children!

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