Caroline and I first met in a freshman seminar course at UGA, a small class on originalism and party politics taught by a UGA law professor. While Caroline doesn’t particularly remember any of my contributions in class, she does remember getting a higher grade than me. All I remember from the class was Caroline’s habit of starting a statement with certainty but transforming into a, “Hmmm… I don’t know,” by the end.

After the class, Caroline and I didn’t interact often. I was on a path to graduate quickly and attend law school. However, we did have a mutual friend, Nate, who interacted with my friend group as well as Caroline’s. Toward the end of my third and last year at UGA, the groups intersected at Cutter’s, home of “dollar-beer night,” and Caroline and I reconnected. She’s admitted that she didn’t have high thoughts of me at first, but as it turns out, I was a little more than a “Terry boy.” We chatted about reading, the law, where we’re from, family, and I even tied her shoes. I offered to give her a North Georgia tour since she was going to be interning in Kennesaw and living with her brother and sister-in-law for the summer.

I graduated and got into the University of Virginia for law school. I spent the summer before interning at a CPA firm in Atlanta, ironically working on the financial side of divorce cases. I invited Caroline to a Braves’ game, but didn’t mention it was a date. She later figured it out and asked me quite directly. We kept going on dates, often meeting in the middle after work, and on July 4, I asked her to be my girlfriend.

When it came time for me to leave for Virginia, she cried a lot. I wasn’t experienced with crying women, so I resorted to saying, “Why’re you crying?” in the same high-pitched voice I use when my family’s German Shepherd, Tara, is whining. Caroline was frightened about the distance, but I knew we would get through it. Later, when she came to Charlottesville a few months later, I told her I loved her, and we’ve never looked back, through thick and thin.

Christian and I started dating in the summer of 2021. I was living with my brother and sister-in-law while spending my days bored to tears at internship with an insurance company. After Christian finally clarified that our first date to a Braves game was indeed a first date, I spent those early summer days so excited to meet him after work for the next installment of my “North Georgia tour.” As Christian mentioned above, he was different than I wrongly assumed - extremely thoughtful and principled, deeply loving of his family and friends, and unimaginably goofy. I was curious!

Excited as I was to go on dates with Christian, I wasn’t sure what would come from it. I knew Christian would soon move over 500 miles for three rigorous and demanding years of law school at UVA. I was nervous and uncertain of the impending distance, but Christian continuously put me at ease, never letting me second guess his care and interest. It took seven or eight dates and a weekend with friends in Athens before I realized what a mistake it would be to lose friendship and companionship with Christian because of my fear. We made it “official” halfway through the summer, and Christian left in mid-August right before the start of my senior year at UGA.

The two years since have been full in every way - trips between Georgia and Virginia, Christian’s intense first two years of law school, my college graduation and move to Atlanta, Christian’s application processes for internships and clerkships, and - finally! - our engagement at St. Simons. I am so grateful we’ve been able to share these life transitions, but it's the details of life that truly established our love and care for each other: late night phone calls after tiring days, intentional time spent with each other’s families and friends, letters sent and received, discussions on faith and politics and future hopes, Christian living with my brother and sister-in-law for two summers, failed Instagram recipes, turning Christian into a “South Georgia man,” and even conflict and challenges often exacerbated by distance. Life with Christian has taught me so much about the Lord’s kindness, provision, and care, and I see Christ-like steadfastness, goodness, and protection in Christian.

I reflect on my initial hesitations about dating Christian and am so grateful I chose faith and hope over fear, a decision that was only possible because of the Lord’s kindness through Christian’s character. I couldn’t be more ready to put an end to long distance, share our lives, and become Mrs. Christian Adams!