The Lord brought Chris and I together in the sweetest and most unexpected of ways!! I was about to enter into my 3rd year of medical school going on a Medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic through the ministry I was involved in at school, the Christian Medical and Dental Association. Chris was working as an ER physician in Athens, GA and was invited onto the trip by a mentor from his time in medical school. We met on the second day of the trip after we had attended a village church service. At one point, the pastor had asked the single people to stand up. I was sitting in the front and was not too thrilled to stand up, refusing to look anywhere but straight ahead lol. Chris was in the back and noticed me. He came up and introduced himself after the service and then of course I noticed him. I noticed his heart for the Lord and for others, as he compassionately and diligently took care of the people in the DR. I noticed his confidence and humility. I noticed his humor and storytelling. I also very much noticed my notice of him! We got to know each other throughout the week in group settings and found out we had a lot in common! We are in the back of this photo beside each other if you can spot us.

Ahh so this was the day. The day that I knew for sure that Chris liked me back. The last day of our trip we took an excursion to a nearby island for the day. I was in the back of the boat and worked up the nerve to get up and move to the front to come sit near Chris but not like right next to him. He said "hey why don't you come sit here?" as in...right in front of him. We talked the whole boat ride. We got off to go cliff jumping and he waited to swim next to me. And that's when I knew folks. You could tell we were stoked about it! That night, Chris prayed about having the opportunity to ask me out as was naturally difficult in a group setting of 30 people. The chance came beside the water fountain as we were both filling up our water bottles. He asked me out and got my number and I was all too excited to go on a date when we got back!

Chris drove 3 hours to come to Auburn and take me on our first date! I got to meet his dog, Beau, and instantly loved him. We ate taco mama, walked at Kiesel park, ate ice cream, and talked on the floor of my apartment for hours (I was moving to Gadsden, AL, the next day so my stuff was packed up). You could say it was a pretty great first date. We planned on a second one later in July.

Welcome to our favorite restaurant, Umi. Chris took me on our third date here, and we dreamed about the sushi roll we got there ever since. This date was wonderful. Food was good, but time with Chris was so much better. We both walked away from that date confident we had found our person. This picture is technically from our second date there because I was too nervous to take pictures of him for a while lol.

My first trip to Athens! Chris kindly made salmon for the first time ever just for me. We got to make and enjoy this meal together. I loved seeing his life and home in Athens. I knew I loved him after this weekend!

Chris came to visit Gadsden for the weekend. Right before he left he asked for our first official picture together! It is framed and very cherished. After that, we had a rule of taking a picture together every time we saw each other!

First time meeting his family in Huntsville, AL!

Hometown date number 2! Chris came home to Franklin to meet my family for the first time.

Chris planned a fantastic Valentine's date night in Birmingham and told me about this trip planned for us to Jackson Hole, Wyoming after I finished taking my board exams! Little did I know what all he had in mind that trip...

We love a good house project! This was just a simple and sweet weekend living life together and painting his mailbox. Long distance makes these moments so precious to us.

A little midweek spontaneous trip to Athens was so worth it. We are really looking forward to ending our time of long distance for many reasons. The random Tuesdays spent together is something we can't wait for!

We love getting outside and bringing Beau along for our adventures! Got to celebrate Chris's birthday together doing what we love. Thankful to find my hiking partner.

Maybe the best beach trip of all time. We ate great food, enjoyed time with his family and mine, saw the northern lights, and took so many beach walks. AND evidently the day before this picture was taken, Chris had gone to look at engagement rings without me having a clue!

Second date night at Umi to celebrate finishing exams! Chris had so sweetly gone to the wine and coffee table book store we had gone to on our first date here back in August and had picked out a book and wrote a note in it for me. He knows how much written words mean to me and he has given me so many amazing ones over our time of dating. Of note, after dinner we were walking around the area and saw Harrison Ford I kid you not. We still talk about it often.

Chris proposed while out in Teton's National park at the top of a BEAUTIFUL hike by Delta Lake. I was all too eager to say YES and try to put the perfect ring on my swollen finger. We couldn't have written this day any better and thank the Lord so often for how He provided so abundantly this trip and in our relationship!

Engagement has been such a sweet season so far. It is a time of reflection for us, both looking back at the past year but also eagerly looking forward to what's ahead. In all of it, we praise our Father. He has been so good to us and we confidently believe and trust that He will continue to protect and keep us as we enter into marriage! Thank you to our friends and family that have prayed for us, opened up your homes to us, and poured into our relationship. We are so excited to honor and celebrate these friendships together in April!