It all began when we were starry-eyed freshmen in college at UNC-Chapel Hill, and met one another at a campus ministry event at The Summit Church. While we were initially casual friends that ran in close circles, our friendship continued to grow deeper over the next three years. We were part of one big, amazing group of best friends that played center stage in some of our favorite college memories, but were always secretly (never explicitly known by the other) trying to find ways to have alone time with one another. Even before the two of us recognized it, we were drawn to one another in a way we could never quite put our finger on.

...that is, until junior year. Just as the school year was winding down and we were all headed our separate ways for the summer, Caleb finally had the courage to ask Erin on a date. He filled it with all of her favorite foods and experiences, but more importantly to Erin, he filled it with all of his attention and intentionality. The rest is history, kicking off with a summer of being in different parts of the country as we essentially started our relationship long-distance. Once that summer ended, we decided we never really wanted to be apart again. Thankfully, we spent our senior year of college as next-door neighbors and continued to grow in our love for and understanding of one another. Most importantly, we learned to love one another through the refining moments of life - the ones that are completely out of your control, but you have to either take them on together or give up - and by the grace of God, we remained committed to one another through the wonderful and the messy moments. While difficult, it was the challenges that cemented our confidence in wanting to spend our lives together.

On a beautiful Saturday in September, Caleb brought Erin along on a family beach trip (a convenient set-up to bring Erin to her happy place without her catching on to the game plan :)) and decided to take her for a walk on the beach after dinner. Suddenly Erin was approaching a blanket with flowers, decorations, and pictures of the two of them that Caleb's family helped pull together. After flipping through a book that Caleb created telling their story, along with a list of reasons why Caleb wanted to marry Erin, Erin gave a resounding HECK YES! when Caleb popped the question.

While we look back on the time that we've known each other and love seeing how our stories have been woven together, we take even greater joy in the fact that God has always been weaving our stories together, long before we knew one another or what we wanted for our lives. We see it in the way He designed us to both love adventure and activity, while also creating us with distinct differences that allow us to balance one another out perfectly. But more importantly, we see it in the way He planted a deep love for Jesus and for the gospel long before our paths crossed, giving us an unbreakable bond and mission for our marriage that makes everything else feel like icing on the cake.

We truly can't wait to become one in marriage. For Erin, that means a lifetime of enjoying Caleb's boyish grin and the way it makes her heart melt, and the way he intently listens to every word she says. For Caleb, it means living life alongside the most kind and caring person he's ever known. Cheers to more dancing, beach trips, learning new recipes, and most importantly, growing in our love for Christ and one another. We can't wait!

Love,
Caleb + Erin