One of my favorite things to do is think about when Catherine and I met. I do it as often as I can. When I reminisce on that time, I know that Catherine showing up in my life was nothing short of the biggest blessing the Lord has given me. When a young man sees a pretty girl, he asks her to go on a date. But man, did that girl blow him away. Now I, Sam Nichols, get to share that story with you!

The first time I saw Catherine Mirocha was in August of 2019 when we were both 17 years old. We were at church, and even though we went to rival high schools (because love has a flair for the dramatic), I knew right away that I liked her. After one of her cheer practices, we went on our first date at Shane's Rib Shack. I was amazed by how caring, happy, and energetic she was, not to mention the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. I was incredibly nervous, but I couldn’t let her know that. I played it cool on the outside.

From that first date, it was clear that another date was in order. And another. And another. Some of our early dates included bowling, tennis, ice cream, and countless Chick-fil-A outings. Who knows what we would have done if Chick-fil-A didn't exist! We started spending more and more time together, realizing how much fun we had in each other's company. During the pandemic in 2020, we got to spend a ton of time together at the lake and the beach. We often look back on that time and realize how vital it was for our relationship.

In August of 2020, Catherine headed off to Athens to start college at UGA while I was still a senior in high school. This marked the beginning of a few periods of distance during our time together, but we learned how to communicate effectively, strengthening our relationship even more. The next year, I joined Catherine in Athens at UGA. Our days in Athens were a true blessing, allowing us to be together more than ever and giving us a taste of what life together could be like.

In January of 2023, Catherine moved to Orlando for a semester to work full-time at Disney World. This period of distance was challenging, but our previous experience with long-distance communication helped us navigate loving each other well while being almost 500 miles apart. A few short months later, I let my parents know that I wanted to spend my life with Catherine. The fall turned to winter in 2023 and it was filled with ring shopping and secret planning, which was a challenge since Catherine is incredibly observant. Ring shopping was not quite the challenge, as Catherine gifted me with a PowerPoint containing instructions down to the millimeter on what ring she liked. If you know Catherine, this will make sense to you!

Finally, on March 15, 2024, I drove Catherine to a field with a phony story about what we were doing. There, on a blanket with an embroidered ring and the date, Catherine realized what was about to happen. She said yes, and thank the Lord she did!

Now, after what will be nearly six years together, Catherine and I are ready to tie the knot. We’ve learned, grown, and thrived together through it all. We’ve had our share of stubborn moments, but we’ve always found a way to make it work, and we always will. You might be thinking, "Man, who knew they would end up here?" The answer is simple: me, Sam. From the day I saw Catherine, I knew there was something different about her. I couldn't help but wanting so bad to find out what it was. What I found was that Catherine was everything I had prayed for in my future wife. She was different because she is the one God set out for me to spend my life with. I knew I couldn't let her slip away, and now, our story is just starting as we begin our life together as husband and wife!

C&S