It all began in a small cove in Eads, Tennessee. To begin, Ethan’s aunt and uncle moved next door to the Clemons in 2017. Now the Clemons have become my ‘chosen’ family after my grandma (who raised me) passed away. Ethan's aunt Mary started coming to church with the Clemons, at Heritage (my home church) and eating Sunday lunch with us after the service. It was fun getting to know her more! In January of 2019, His Aunt Mary invited the Clemons to a dinner at Sling Shot Charlie’s to celebrate her husband Jon’s birthday and Ethan’s birthday. After Mom Clemons met Ethan, she thought that I needed to meet him. She came over after the dinner to check on me because I had just had my wisdom teeth taken out earlier that day. She told me everything she learned about him that night.

Later his Aunt Mary and Mom Clemons began talking about the two of us meeting, and they arranged it so that our families would get together for Easter lunch.

So Easter came around, and Ethan and I were going to meet for the first time. I felt a little nervous, but I was excited to meet him after hearing so many good things about him. After church, I walked over to Jon and Mary’s home and saw Ethan for the first time in the kitchen.

I vividly remember walking into Mary’s kitchen and meeting him for the first time. I thought he was so kind by the way he talked and how he was dressed. I remember grabbing my lunch and going to sit down at the dining room table. I was shocked when Ethan placed his plate right next to mine! I remember being so nervous that I hardly ate anything on my plate! He seemed so relaxed and so “punny”. I laughed a few times, but did not want to seem overly interested, so I mostly talked to others around me. After lunch, I remember sitting on the back porch across from him. He was snapping all kinds of pictures. I thought and wished that the afternoon would last forever. However, the day was getting later, and I had to go. On the way home, I replayed the afternoon over in my head. I was curious to know more about Ethan. He seemed different than any other guy I had met. That afternoon, I do remember he asked to be my friend on Facebook, and we started talking here and there on Facebook Messenger.

As time went on, we had another family gathering at Sling Shot Charlie’s. We sat next to each other again and talked the whole time. After that, I invited him to come to a church event and then afterwards to come get dessert at the Clemons with me and my sister Liz. The day after was Memorial Day, so Liz helped me invite him over for dinner and a swim. I remember us talking and talking and talking. It always seemed like our time together flew by too quickly. At the end of the evening we were walking in the Clemons driveway and I remembered him kind of asking me for my number because he wanted to go on a date with me! EEK! I was so nervous and panicked that I did not realize he was even asking for my phone number! So I may have told him it was good for me to still communicate through Messenger! Later that evening, I did give him my number and apologized for not realizing at that moment that he was trying to get my number!

I remember getting ready for my first date with Ethan! I even got a new dress! Waiting for him was almost a comical event, Liz and I were looking out of the window and saw him drive right by our house! We kind of giggled. And then for a moment I thought I was too dressed up! So we were spying on him to make sure my outfit wasn’t too dressy for the dinner. Good thing I picked a dress, because Ethan was wearing a nice shirt and jeans. When I came downstairs, he greeted me with a hug and opened my passenger door! Then we had such a wonderful dinner at Firebirds! I remember when he dropped me off that I didn’t want to leave him. And I think he didn’t either. He looked down at his phone and opened his calendar up right away to see when we could go on another date. How sweet! I felt so happy that he did that! By the end of the summer (July 28th, 2019), after dating for two months, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend! And I said….YES!

Skipping ahead to the proposal. Ethan and I love going to Pickwick lake together! And so that is where he chose to propose. His family and I went up there for the Fourth of July weekend. The day Ethan proposed was July fifth at sunset in the most beautiful spot. I thought we were going on a drive to get a picture of the sunset. But after a series of ‘suspicious’ events I quickly began to wonder was this it? Y’all it was! Ethan asked me to come watch the sunset with him, and then he got down on one knee to ask me to marry him!

I feel blessed that Ethan and I have been together for awhile now. And I love him even more now than I ever thought I would. And I know that I will have more time to learn more about him and grow in my love for him. And I can’t wait!

And we cannot wait to celebrate with all of our loved ones on December 28, 2024!