Finding love in unexpected places is a common theme in many love stories. Cindy and Avery's story is not an exception. Their love was not something they were looking for, and some might say it was almost forbidden. They were two determined, driven, and dedicated individuals who accepted job offers that brought them to Columbus, Ohio. Avery was a prosperous manager of an athletic retail chain, while Cindy was making significant strides in her finance career. However, those who know Cindy are aware of her unpredictable nature. She wanted to explore beyond the confines of the 9 to 5 adult life. Being new to Ohio, she believed that getting a second job was the best way to spend her time. Let me clarify that this decision was not motivated by financial reasons, but instead, for the discount. So, she decided to take on a part-time job at Finish Line where Avery was the store manager.

Avery and Cindy’s first encounter happened during Cindy’s orientation. All seemed to be going great until Cindy started declining weekend shifts because, well, she had other plans… This was a part-time job after-all. Avery became aware of Cindy’s limited availability and reached out to Cindy enforcing Finish Line’s policies.

From this tension the conversations became more consistent, and Avery and Cindy started building a connection. Small gestures started taking place - like Cindy bringing Avery back a souvenir from a Toronto trip and hanging out outside of work. The story goes that Avery would drive to Cindy’s apartment complex to walk around the complex or sit in the parking lot sharing stories. This evidently went on for a few months.

In August 2017, Cindy mentioned to Avery that she was going on a trip to Miami. During this same time, Avery was planning his brother Ayres' birthday, which was supposed to be celebrated in Vegas. However, since learning about Cindy’s Miami trip, Avery had a slight change of plans. Instead of going to Vegas, he now wanted to re-reroute his trip to Miami. He convinced Ayres to go to Miami instead, and they ended up meeting up with Cindy in the Sunshine State. Even six years later, Ayres still cannot believe Avery did not tell him the REALLLL reason why he wanted to go to Miami. Oops!

The Miami trip was memorable to say the least. On August 27th, while spending some quality time at the beach, Avery asked Cindy to be his girlfriend and that’s how it all started.

Their relationship was nothing short of a whirlwind romance. They did all the things new couples do at the start of a beautiful relationship, from romantic date nights, and exciting sporting events supporting their favorite teams, to traveling together to destinations they always dreamed of. As their relationship progressed, Avery and Cindy were surprised to learn they were going to become parents, and this achievement only strengthened their bond.

They welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Aubrey Giselle Johnson, on August 17, 2018, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Aubrey has been a huge joy in their union and brings continued laughter into their home.

Becoming a parent can be a challenging journey, as any young parents will tell you. Avery and Cindy were no exception. However, they were determined to be the best parents to their first child and provide a loving and nurturing home. They had always dreamed of offering their future children a childhood like this.

As the years have passed, their excitement, love, and happiness have grown stronger. Together, they learned how to be parents, and this new chapter tested their commitment to one another. Time proved that they were meant to be together. Even through the struggles of long-distance relationships, Cindy and Avery proved to be a testament that what God has joined together, nothing will separate. Through two interstate moves, career changes, and parenthood, Cindy and Avery have conquered every challenge life has thrown at them, with love at the forefront. It is with great honor that they invite you to join them as they take the big leap to become one before God with their family, and all their loved ones.