Despite going to the same church for about a year, Dylan and I had never had a conversation. I had just seen him on stage during worship playing the bass.

One day, my mom and I were going home from the Neighborhood Walmart in Moss Bluff and she saw Dylan and said, "Isn't that the bass player for our church", to which I responded, "I think so". After a little while, she turned to me in the car and said, "He's cute, you should try to talk to him". So, I did what any 17 year old girl would do and did some digging on social media and I found him! I messaged him on Instagram. That's right! I slid into his DM's.

The past three years of being with Dylan have been some of the most rewarding years of my life. I have seen the boy I met turn into the man that I love and I wouldn't have it any other way. He's seen me grow up, graduate high school, and start my college journey and he has always been supportive of everything I've decided to do.

My favorite memory with Dylan was one of our first dates. We went to Pinederosa park and swung on the two person swing for the longest time. We talked about everything for what seemed like forever. I didn't mind it though. After that, I got into the big orb that spins and he started spinning me in it. He jumped in after a little while of spinning me and we talked some more. It was cold that night and he gave me his jacket. (I know, so corny)

Little did I know, this night was only the beginning of the many amazing memories I have with Dylan. This marriage will be the beginning of a new era with new amazing memories and I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with the man God literally dropped in my life at the exact right moment.

Before getting to know Jessica, I had a different love. It was my bass guitar that I got when I was fifteen years old as a present for earning my Eagle Scout rank in scouting. It wasn’t the bass that I learned on but it was (and still is) my favorite bass to play. Well, fast forward to 2021 with me. I’m playing my beloved bass on stage every Sunday and Wednesday while paying no mind to anyone but the worship and music. Little did I know, I had an admirer.

One day Jessica sent me a follow request on instagram. I didn’t recognize the name and I usually delete requests of people I don’t know but something said to accept it. She said that we went to church together and that she “thought I was cute.” First of all, how could I miss this girl and her family I thought to myself. I thanked her and told her that I thought she was cute too. From there we started to message each other every day.

We had lunch together for the first time at Raising Canes where we’d be accompanied by a third wheel (her sister, Jennifer). Our first date was watching a McNeese soccer game with her family. Jess played soccer (her love before me) for most of her life as a goalie. Soccer was her jam. I began to go watch her play at many different high schools and started to learn the game of soccer. Never did I think I would have a need to learn the rules of soccer but I ended up having to so I could go to her games and cheer at the right times and yell at the refs when they made bogus calls. She was playing soccer and I was playing my bass guitar. Hobbies, jobs, schools, and life in general changed as time went on but we still had each other no matter what new things happened. Many dates were had. Many trips happened. Many hugs were shared.

After a couple years of having Jess as my best friend and girlfriend, I decided it was time to make her my fiancé. We got engaged in the presence of both of our families while looking into a bright sunset at Sam Houston Jones State Park. It was a total surprise to Jess but she did say yes. She could finally stop sending me hints and pictures of rings.

In these past few months, Jess and I have been taking lots of time to look into our future. As to what marriage will hold for us and how we can both support each other like we have. We know that many new things will happen and old things will pass. Though we cannot see all of the bumps that we might encounter, we can definitely see that our future will be bright. I just hope it’s as bright as that sunset when we got engaged.