We met the summer of 2015 when somehow we both decided to stop at the Moes in Mechanicsville, VA for lunch. I was digging into my burrito after a hard day of shopping with my mom, nana, and sister. A.J. was on his way back from vacation in the Outer Banks with a friend and they got caught in traffic. Mid-bite, A.J. walked up to our table and said, "Hi I am sorry to interrupt your lunch but if you're ever in Pittsburgh you should give me a call." He had written his name and number on a receipt, set it on the table, and left just as quickly as he showed up. I was left at the table in complete shock, very unsure of what had just happened, and of course spent the rest of the day telling everyone I knew. Later, my friends convinced me to text him and our love story began with text messages, phone calls, and Facetimes!

A few days before one of the most important moments of my life, I decided that the perfect time was never going to come. Covid-19 pushed back my plans long enough, and I was tired of waiting. I was going to need to create the time and make it as close to perfect as possible. So, I snuck away to my parents’ house to create a slideshow full of pictures and songs that would recount many of the important events in our relationship. It’s also important to note here that I needed to get the ring that had been safely stashed away in my parents’ safe for months.

Three or four hours before the proposal, I realized I had to find a way to have pictures of me asking Jordan to marry me. I sent a last minute text to the best photographer I know, my friend and colleague Lindsy Walker. After working out some minor details, she nervously agreed to park a few houses down, sneak onto my porch, and pop out at the perfect time to capture our life-changing moment.

A couple of minutes before the proposal, I snuck the ring from my sock drawer to my back pocket, hooked my computer up to the television, and sent a final text to my photographer. I slowly walked upstairs and told Jordan I had a surprise for her before we went to dinner at my parents’ house. I brought her downstairs, asked her to sit on the couch, and clicked play!

A few seconds before the proposal, I could feel my heart pounding as I silently rehearsed the words I wanted to say. The slideshow ended. I asked Jordan to stand, and I dropped to one knee. She said YES!