Amber and I first met at Texas A&M in 2010 (whoop!) We were both involved at the Catholic student center - St. Mary's. This picture here is a group of us helping on a high school Confirmation retreat through Saint Mary's Youth Retreat Team. We were very blessed with the friendships and formation we received during college.

Living a life of mission is important for both of us. During college, we were summer missionaries at the Pines Catholic Camp together (with all these cool people in this picture!) After graduating, both of us served as missionaries for NET Ministries (National Evangelization Teams). We both had incredible experiences of growth serving with NET.

After NET, I went to the seminary to study to be a priest, and Amber joined a religious community to be a sister. Amber left after a year and half and went to be a youth minister in Angleton, TX, while I left the seminary after four and a half years of study and ultimately ended up as a youth minister in Jersey Village, TX. During our years of religious formation / youth ministry, we would occasionally cross paths. I even asked Amber out on a date in 2021......she said yes two and half years later when I asked her again.

Our first date!