To begin, we need to go back 10 YEARS (holy sh*t) - I had been coming out to Vinalhaven for a couple years and I received this Facebook message (how romantic?) from a really cute guy on the soccer team. He invited me over to his house to watch football game with a couple of his best friends. It was simple, innocent & the first time I was able to go out with friends and get to act my age. We laughed until 2AM - eating candy, drinking soda & just being kids.

We spent 2 years together from that day - we met so many milestones in this time. Austin got his license, bought his first & second vehicle. We went to my first prom & my senior prom together. He took me to meet his dad and family in Vanceboro.

But we were young & needed to grow

People always look at me so funny when I tell them how needed our time apart was. In the 3 years we spent apart, we both did so many things. We graduated, went to college, got our own apartments, and just became adults.

During these 3 years we would run into each other & every time we couldn't help, but laugh and joke. We have the same sense of humor & we just can't handle being around each other without finding something funny.

Little did we know, we would both end up at the same place at the right time & so it began again.

We were in our best friend's wedding & from that day we never spent a day apart. Our lives restarted + got very complicated very quick.

Only four months into our second go, I was PREGNANT. It was the hardest thing we had ever gone through, but we made it - together. We went through the scariest delivery of our wonderful son + we became stronger.

Nine months later, we decided to pack up and leave the safety of Vinalhaven and go on our own adventure. These were hard times - living on one income, figuring out life away from our family, managing bills, and trying to be the best parents we could be. But through all of this - we became stronger.

One year after leaving Vinalhaven, we were signing our first mortgage + deed to our very first home. Now, this seems like a lot, but really this was such a relaxing time. We finally had our own house, stable jobs, Carey was getting easier + we were feeling really good. This regular living was wayyyyy too easy for us + after a year of living in our house I was PREGNANT.

Nine months later, Miss Grace entered the world and completed our family. This was such an amazing time for us - it was the final building block.

We may have done it completely backwards - but this is our story. Austin asked me to marry him & there was not a doubt in my mind. We have been through less than some & more than others, but we always became stronger.