We met while we were both attending UC Davis. We were in the same Christian fellowship, Campus Crusade for Christ (also known as Cru), and we first spoke to each other in May of 2013.

However, we did not really get to know each other until one very bumpy car ride in December of 2013. Mark was the driver for Emiley and some other students all the way to sunny San Diego. The ride was bumpy because Emiley showed her ugly (argumentative) side for a good part of the ride back up.

After that, we did not really see each other until March (ish) of 2014, and this is when we started to develop feelings for each other. We slowly spent more time together over the following months, until Emiley couldn't keep her mouth shut in late May of that year. Thankfully, Mark felt the same way and was trying to find a way to tell her.

We had our first date on May 28th, 2014. In the three days leading up to the date, Emiley had a stomach bug and could not keep any food down, but did not want to tell Mark for fear of rescheduling or canceling the date. So, on our first date, rather out of character Emiley had a dry salad for fear of getting sick when really Mark would have rescheduled happily.

We officially became a couple in July of 2014. Since then, it has been over two and a half years of laughs, adventures, movie lists, cooking fails, long car rides, and height-difference-struggles. We got engaged on October 9th, 2016 in the same place we had our first date in Redding, the city where we plan to live.

We can't wait to spend our lives together, and we are so happy to know that you will be there when we commit our lives to each other!

Photos