On Friday, September 15th, 2023, I had just finished up a major tax deadline at work and had plans with friends that evening. My friend Haley, also my future sister in law, had invited friends over for a bonfire scheming for Kyle and I to meet. Haley & Eric, Kyle’s brother, had been hyping Kyle up and were SO determined for us to go on a date. Well their wishes were finally going to transpire. When I got to Haley and Eric’s house, I went around and said hi to people sitting around the fire. I remember specifically trying to make eye contact with Kyle when I first went outside and it just wasn’t happening. I awkwardly didn’t even acknowledge his presence. I think I literally went around the fire and hugged everyone except for him. Then, after a couple minutes of us sitting outside, he looked over at me and said “ Oh hey, I am Kyle by the way”. I think I said “Oh I know” haha!

Fast forward, after talking outside by the fire, we went inside to play some games. I purposely sat right next to him so I could flirt a little and get to know him better. After spending just a little time with him, I was hooked. He was funny, cute, caring, and very charming. Not to mention he won me over with an amazing country music playlist. After playing games, we decided to go watch Top Gun. Naturally, we sit next to each other on the couch. Right after the movie started, he smoothly looked over at me and asked me to look at something on his phone. It was a blank contact card for me to put my number in without anyone noticing. I smiled and nervously laughed and put in my number.

Then…. a few minutes into the movie he puts his hand over on my knee, and I think I instantly started sweating. I awkwardly did nothing in return (literally was like a statue that couldn’t move). He slowly moved his hand away after keeping it there for a couple minutes... Oops, classic me, making it an awkward moment instead of a cute one. After the movie ended and everyone left, I was anxiously awaiting a text from him. Aha, a number popped up on my phone saying that he had a great time getting to know me tonight and asking if I would meet him at the farmer’s market the next morning. I was SO excited! I even called my mom the next morning while getting ready for the market to tell her all about this guy I met last night. I couldn’t wait to see him again! I felt a spark with him that I never had felt before. Little did I know this "older brother" Eric & Haley wanted to set me up with would become the absolute love of my life and man I had been praying for for all these years.

It all started with my brother and his wife Haley hounding me one late summer evening to go to a hangout/game night at their house in which this "Caitlin girl" would be. At first, I was hesitant to go not because I didn’t want to meet someone new, but because sometimes I am an old man and the thought of staying out late playing games sounded daunting to me. However, I felt a nudge in me to go and because I listened to that nudge, it ended up being the best decision I have ever made. I arrived earlier than Caitlin and while we were sitting around the fire pit outside waiting for others to arrive, Eric and Haley were telling me how wonderful Caitlin was, and I was getting more and more excited to meet her.

Even though it was nighttime, when Caitlin arrived she lit up the backyard with her presence. I feel like I felt her energy before I think I ever even looked at her. I went from cool, calm, and collected to my heart deciding we would speed things up a bit. Was it the best and most magical greeting of another human being I have ever encountered? Absolutely not. She snubbed me!! To this day we see this part differently, but after she greeted all her friends, I went to introduce myself and she turned around and sat down. She claims she didn’t see me stand up to meet her, but hey at least it turned a nerve-wracking moment for me into a funny one which helped take the edge off. After I said hi and we were all sitting around the fire pit, I stole every glance I could get admiring her cuteness!

Conversation with Caitlin felt so natural and I truly did feel like I was right where I was supposed to be. We played games, we talked, we laughed, and I felt like I was already developing a connection with her. While we were all still at Eric’s house, I texted him and told him “She’s the one”. I was being a bit dramatic since I had just met her, but I felt instantly connected and I’d like to think Caitlin did as well. While people were in their own conversations, I seized the opportunity to ask for her number. After we all went home that night, I texted Caitlin and asked if she would like to meet me at the farmers market the next day to support Haley, who was going to have a booth set up there to sell her artwork. Caitlin said yes and the rest is history. Little did I know at that very moment my journey with my future wife and the love of my life was underway.

Easter is my favorite Holiday. I think I need to preface this section with that. We always go to church as a family, my sister and I dress up in cute Easter dresses & have the best day as a family. NEVER DID I EXPECT EASTER TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW MEANING TO ME IN 2024. THE DAY I SAID YES TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. A DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET.

Okay let me reverse back before I get ahead of myself. Like any regular Easter, I had plans to attend church with my family. My mom usually buys my sister, Kylie, and I an Easter dress each year for church. This year (clever mom) made sure my dress was white. I woke up on Easter morning, Kyle just ended shift the fire house at 7:30 that morning. I met Kyle at his apartment to ride together to Heartland Church. To me, church was a normal, beautiful, peaceful, Easter service. For him, I can’t even imagine...

Service ended, and as we head back out to the truck, we got a text from Kyle’s mom. We were supposed to meet his family for an Easter brunch at Root and Bone at 12:30, but we were going to be really early. Kyle’s mom asked if we wanted to meet at Butler’s campus to take some Easter pics and walk around because we had time to kill before reservations. Once we arrive at Butler, Kyle calls his parents and they let us know they are by the bell tower and water fountain. As we walked closer to them, I started to get butterflies in my stomach like something strange was occurring.

They were waiting at the bell tower with Easter baskets for us with an egg on top that we were instructed to open. I thought we were supposed to open our eggs at the same time (I misunderstood my instructions, by no surprise), and so I just stood there waiting for Kyle. Kyle's dad finally had to say to me “ I think you can go ahead and open your egg”. I then get my questions to open my egg and see a letter inside. Before I opened the egg, there was a split second I thought he maybe put the engagement ring in the egg...

When I saw the letter, I instantly started shaking. I read the first sentence that said something like, “The first time I met you at the game night at Haley and Eric’s”... and then I started sobbing. I couldn't read the rest because my entire body was shaking. I pretended to read the letter as Kyle was fumbling for the ring in his Easter basket. As I was studying the piece of paper, I saw out of the corner of my eyes Kyle kneeling down on one knee in front of me, also crying. I think we both blacked out after that moment and a few minutes later, we were engaged, a ring was on my finger, and Kyle had proposed to me. Best moment of my life.

Kyle truly thought of everything. It was the perfect plan and day. He even had photographer and videographer filming our special moment. After the engagement, we drove back to my parents' house and all of my best friends and family were there to surprise and celebrate us. My grandparents even came into town from Mississippi! I cannot thank our families and friends enough for being there to celebrate us on our special day. We are so blessed to have the best support system. I cannot wait for what the future holds for us!

Pulling off my proposal plan was no easy feat, and without the help of our parents, I do not think it would have been possible. I got the wheels spinning early, bouncing ideas off of friends and researching “best places in Indiana to propose” (feels pretty silly thinking about that now). I had a good list going of ideal times, places, events etc., but I wasn't 100% sold on any the ideas I had come up with yet and felt a stirring inside of me to keep searching. I knew it had to be perfect, and it had to be meaningful to the both of us. A few months prior to the proposal planning, Caitlin and I had decided to go walk around Butler University's campus. This is where she went to school and she was so excited to show me around. Her memories, experiences, environment; everything about this place was so meaningful to her. I was thinking back to that time and that’s when I realized that this was it. That’s where it had to be. We had both previously discussed that we wanted a Spring proposal so that was my first obstacle. My work schedule is not exactly normal, and it made it difficult because I only have certain days that worked for me. I was nervous that the lack of available dates would narrow the timeframe down too much and she would figure it out. I was supposed to have all of Easter weekend off, but I was working a trade for someone the day before, but I still had Easter off. Caitlin knew I was working for someone that Saturday. My gut feeling told me to go for it, to propose on Easter, that she would not expect it with me working the day before and that everything else from there would fall into place. I told my friends and family my plan and made it official.

For the following month and weeks leading up to the proposal, it took everything in me not to give any spoilers. One day, I was at the fire station and had called Caitlin that evening to catch up and to hear about her day. I cannot remember exactly how it got brought up, but she mentioned to me that Easter was her absolute, hands down, favorite holiday. I’m pretty sure my heart stopped beating for a second… I either knew that my plan was absolutely genius with God’s blessing or that she secretly knew what was happening and my plan was foiled. After some days went by and some nonchalant probing of questions on my part, I came to the conclusion she still had no idea when the proposal would be.

Fast forward to the night before the proposal; Luckily I had no calls at work that night, but that did not stop me from tossing and turning all night long. The week leading up to Easter showed some not-so-promising weather and that was an emotional roller coaster for me. That being said, I woke up on Easter morning and immediately checked the radar. Rain and clouds up till noon….then clear skies and sun right when I was going to be proposing. There is not a doubt in my mind God was looking out for us on His day. Caitlin met me at my place so I could drive us to Church to meet up with her family, and I was doing my best to act normal. Once the service ended, the plan was for my mom to text me and Caitlin in a group chat to tell us that they were on their way to brunch and that they would be early. Then my mom would suggest we walk around Butler’s campus before brunch.

When we arrived at Butler’s campus, we started walking over to the fountain where we met my parents. They had two Easter gift bags for us (mine which had the ring in the box and Caitlin’s which had a note that I had written to her). My parents hand us the gift bags and encouraged us to open them. The plan was, once Caitlin started reading the letter I wrote her, I would get the ring out of my basket and propose. Even though it was truly only a few seconds before she started reading the letter, it felt like an eternity, and I was getting nervous. I had to act like I was scrummaging around in my Easter basket waiting for her to start reading the letter so I could pull out the ring. The moment she started reading the letter we were both overwhelmed by our emotions. My sister had one of her friend’s there secretly recording the entire proposal. Needless to say we barely noticed him there, partly because he did such a good job hiding, and partly because Caitlin and I definitely blacked out a little. Wow, what a moment…everything led up to this and it was everything we could have ever hoped for.

We drove back to Caitlin’s parents for a surprise engagement party. Even I was surprised when I walked in . Caitlin’s parents knocked this thing out of the park beyond all expectations. My appreciation for their contribution (especially Caitlin’s mom, Karla) as well as my own parents will forever run deep. As I said at the very beginning, I would not have been able to pull it all off without their help. Caitlin’s dad even prepared a speech which really hit home for the both of us, and to say we felt loved by everyone there would be an understatement. This was truly the most special day with the most special people, and most importantly, with the most special woman. Caitlin and I tell each other all the time how blessed we feel, how we feel God’s presence in our relationship, forever growing and forever filling us with so much love and joy. What an incredible day.