It all started with a sweatshirt.

No, really. That's how it started! Carolyn went on a girl's weekend trip with her mom Terry, and sister Emily, a few weeks before Christmas of 2021, and here's how it all began (from her perspective)...

Soon after we started shopping, Emily spotted a boutique across the street with a mannequin wearing a sweatshirt that said "Nope. Still not married." She immediately says, "No offense, but we're buying you that sweatshirt today." Fast forward a couple hours and we finally make it to the boutique to buy our sweatshirt on the last stop of the day. We walked inside the boutique, and as we are looking for the right size and color, the store manager strikes up conversation with us about the sweatshirt. This manager just so happened to be Chris' sweet mom, Tracy. Tracy mentions that she thought about getting the sweatshirt for her son too, because he's also single, and Emily turns around and says "Oh, well how old is your son? " Once Tracy told us Chris' age, Emily and Terry casually start asking more questions, as I kept shopping (mostly to keep from getting embarrassed). Once Tracy said Chris was a Christian, that's when the real interrogation started from Emily and Terry (LOL). Emily asked to see a picture of Chris right away, and immediately calls for me saying "he is so cute, get over here right now". Once the picture of Chris gets shared, Emily and I proceed to shop through the store for another 20 minutes while Terry and Tracy keep talking and sharing our social media pages with each other. We eventually leave the store, and while there was always a chance something could happen, I don't really think anything would actually come from it.

I am fully convinced God laughed at me in that moment.

I've never been so thankful for being wrong.

Fast forward a couple days, the weekend is over and I get a follow request and message on Instagram from Chris, and immediately thought "there's no way this is actually happening, this is the son from the boutique!"

Chris's message said "So does your family give you a hard time for being single in your late twenties? Because same."

A week goes by, we go on our 1st and 2nd dates, and the rest is history. We were both very honest with each other from the beginning that we were dating with the intention of finding a spouse. I think it's safe for me to speak for both of us and say we knew pretty quickly this was it.

There has never been a more peaceful, God-filled, feeling than the confidence we both share that it was no accident I walked into his mom's boutique that day. We both feel so incredibly blessed and thankful this is the story we get to share, and it's only getting started!

All glory to God. Now let's do this!

Registry