Dylan and Emma met in August 2021 at St. Mary's Catholic Center in College Station, Texas. Emma was in her senior year at Texas A&M and was staffing the new student Connect retreat at the Catholic center. Dylan was a junior and had just moved to College Station as a transfer student from Texas Tech and was attending the Connect retreat. Dylan decided to ask Emma for help in finding a certain room at St. Mary's even though he knew exactly where it was. Little did Emma know Dylan was in fact not a freshman.


A week later, Emma and Dylan officially met after daily mass at St. Mary's through a mutual friend Abe. Dylan had grown up with Abe in Cypress where they went to school together and played soccer. Abe and Emma had gone on a mission trip together in June of that summer. Emma recalled Abe mentioning his friend Dylan would be moving to College Station, but didn't think much of it. After daily mass, Emma and Dylan officially met and Emma realized this cute guy was definitely not a freshman like she had thought.


At this point, both Emma and Dylan were interested in each other but only saw each other in group settings for the next few weeks - daily mass, a football game, a watch party, an Aggie ring party, a night out two-stepping, and a group dinner to Wings n More. Eventually, numbers were exchanged and Emma and Dylan had their first official date in October 2021. They went on a picnic by Lake Atlas at the Stella Hotel and had the best time. And the rest is history!


On July 14, 2023, Emma and Dylan were going on a special date. Emma knew that a proposal was on the horizon but was not expecting it at all that day. Dylan had told Emma there might be a problem with her engagement ring and they might have to wait to get engaged until later that fall. Emma, though disappointed, had already come to terms with this news and was just happy to have a nice date night with Dylan that July evening. After a nice dinner at Clementine’s in Downtown Bryan, Dylan and Emma were going to go on a walk and then read letters to each other that they had written. Dylan suggested going back to St. Mary’s to walk around that area instead of Downtown Bryan. Emma wanted to stay in Downtown Bryan since the sun was beginning to set but went along with Dylan’s idea since he was weirdly insistent. Emma still did not suspect anything at all. When they got to St. Mary’s, Dylan quickly got out of the car and walked to the chapel, suggesting that they pray together there first and then read their letters. When they entered the chapel, there was a table set up in front of the altar with flowers, a letter, and a ring box. Emma was in complete shock but had no hesitation in saying yes to Dylan’s proposal! It was such a gift to get engaged in this sacred space where Jesus was present and where Dylan and Emma had grown closer to God in their own prayer lives throughout the years. We will forever cherish this sweet memory and the ability to be in God’s physical presence as we began this new chapter of life that July evening.


Dylan and I have many special memories together and we are so incredibly blessed by this journey that God has brought us through and will continue to bless us with. Here’s some photos of memories of us together throughout the years!