I met Jill the fall semester of my senior year of high school. Everyone always wonders why we waited so long to get together, but the truth is, I had to work up the courage to finally talk to her. I always used to see her playing volleyball, so I guess I just assumed that this pretty, athletic girl would want nothing to do with me.

However, my senior year I ran cross country and through some of my friends on the team, which were some of her friends too, I was able to find out a little bit about her. To the weeks leading up to our first interaction, I always wanted to go up and talk to her, but she always looked like she was in a bad mood in the hallway, so I figured it was best to keep my distance (we joke about this now). I even sent her a friend request on Facebook and liked one of her pictures to try and show some interest. I know, cool right? Anyway, one night I was at one of our high school football playoff games and I saw that she was there, sitting just right below me in the stands. The whole time I was looking at her in hopes that she would look back up to me and we would make eye contact, but for the first part of the game that didn't work.

After a while I went to the concession stand and on my way back, I saw Jill and a couple of her friends walking towards me. I stopped and talked to them in hopes that Jill would notice me, but I still wasn't sure if she had any interest in me at all. After the game and later on that night, I texted one of her friends and asked for Jill's number, but I didn't text her right away because I didn't want to sound desperate. Two weeks later I finally texted her and the next day I sat with her at an in-school wrestling match and the rest is history. We absolutely clicked and became such great friends and starting dating one month later.

After she graduated high school, she started college at the University of Tennessee, and for the majority of our relationship we have been dating long distance. We've had our ups and downs, but at the end of the day the distance has made us stronger. With both of our graduations this year drawing nearer, I figured it would be a swell time to ask Jill to marry me. We have had many wonderful adventures so far, but nothing will compare to the adventures we will have after we are married. Jill brings out the best in me and I look forward to our lives together.

"And now these three remain, faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" - 1 Corinthians 13:13