The beginning of my junior year at Western Kentucky University marked the start of my waitressing job at a local restaurant in Bowling Green, KY named Mariah’s. One warm September day, a large group of people entered the restaurant, informing the hostess of their reservation for eight. She then led them to my section in the dining room. As I approached the table, I greeted the party and began taking their drink orders. It was during my time as a waitress that I learned a valuable tip: to remember shirt colors or unique features to better recall who ordered what. As I took their drink orders, my attention was drawn to a boy at the end of the table wearing a baseball hat. While noting down his order, I mentally dubbed him “the cute boy at the table.”

Throughout their stay, this particular boy was polite and showed great manners as I served their table. After the group finished dining, I distributed the receipts and collected their payments. As I retrieved “the cute boy at the table’s” card, I memorized his name: Jacob Lyons. I returned their receipts, thanked them for their time, unknowingly setting the stage for a life-changing event.

As the group of eight left, I hurried to count my tips, only to discover that “the cute boy at the table” had left more than just a tip—he had left his number! Excitedly, I rushed into the kitchen, and yelled “The cute boy at my table left his number!” I eagerly texted him!

Fast forward to today, everything feels like fate, and I believe that God placed Jacob into my life unexpectedly. I can truly say that it was love at first sight. I feel destined by fate and faith to have met my handsome, passionate, devoted, and loving man, with whom I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life. I never would have expected that on September 15, 2021, I would meet my future husband at Mariah’s and that we would be leaving for our honeymoon on September 15, 2024. Mariah’s will always hold a special place in my heart as the place where I met Jacob and where our journey to becoming one began.

One random September day back in 2021, a group of close friends and I decided we wanted to go out to eat. We ended up going to Mariah’s in Bowling Green. I remember walking in and being seated and then our waitress comes up and I remember being shocked by how beautiful she was. I took my menu and covered my mouth with it while looking at my brother John, telling him, “look at her, she is beautiful!” I remember I was trying to be very polite the entire night, I guess thinking I was going to pull her in with charm. Well, I never got the courage to ask her and she was gone from the table when my friends decided to leave. I sat there frantically deciding on what to do because I just couldn’t lose this opportunity and I felt like God was giving me a little push as well. So I quickly found a pen, wrote her a tip, signed my name and then I did something that I have never done before. I wrote my number down, along with the words “Text me” with a smiley face. I hurried out the doors because I was afraid she would find the note before I could leave.

That very small moment changed my entire life. One choice that I was very nervous of making, changed the trajectory of my entire life. I sometimes think about what I would be doing or where I’d be if I hadn’t gone with my gut that night. Emily and I have had very big mountains and very small valleys. We have had one heck of a time together, so many lifelong memories, once in a lifetime opportunities, and cherished moments. I’ve never had more fun in my entire life than I have ever since I walked into that restaurant on September 15th, 2021. With all things said, the most exciting thing to me is, Our Story is just beginning!