Oh, where do I even begin? I still remember the very first time I saw Ty. We were at a Liberty Union basketball game, and I was sitting with one of my best friends, Tara. She leaned over and whispered, “That’s the new kid.” I glanced over and said, “He’s kinda cute… but he really should fade up the sides of his hair more.” (Should’ve known I’d end up doing hair for a living!)

A few months later, out of nowhere, I get a Snapchat from that same “new kid” that literally just said “streaks.” And somehow, that one word started a conversation that never really stopped.

The first time I actually talked to him in person was at a track meet. I was probably running the mile and the 800m, and because I was way too shy to even look at him (despite us texting nonstop), he threw a half-cut tennis ball just to get my attention. I even remember him peeking under the fence to watch me run- and honestly, from that moment on, even at just 16, I knew he was the one.

Since then, life has been full of seasons: boot camp, deployments, cosmetology school, fire and medic school, and even buying our first home together. Through it all, I’ve only grown to love him more than I ever thought possible. I can’t wait to finally marry you, Ty Nelson.

I remember seeing Jasmine for the first time at a track meet — probably Circleville or Logan Elm. She was running the mile or 800m, and I noticed right away how fast she was, with the longest stride, and winning the race. I didn’t talk to her that day.

The first time I did, she wouldn’t even look at me. So, I tossed one of our half-cut tennis balls at her feet, and she finally looked up. From there, we started talking,and we never really stopped.