Our story starts two years ago at Cowden Family Camp when a lovely Lady named Katie decided to go to this camp to help out and lead the young adults' group. I wasn't even supposed to be at camp this year despite going for the last several years due to being in the paramedic class and working. However, on the first day of camp, I was free, so I decided to go to camp for the day. This decision would be the best decision I've ever made. After seeing old friends and meeting Katie on the first day on the first day, I cleared my schedule and spent the rest of the week at the camp. Once we returned home from camp, we became best friends and spent the next year doing everything together. I began helping with her youth group and and around the church; we would spend countless hours just talking about life and enjoying each other's presence. We were each other's rock through hard times, bringing each other closer to God. The following year at Cowden was different, she was in charge of the youth and had asked me to help, I was now working full time as a paramedic in decatur and I was praying I could get the time off to go to camp. I ended up getting the time off, and she ran the youth group with minimal help from me at best. However during this week as we spent more and more time together, I was finally done with class and wasn't quite as busy, we realized that this inseperable friendship had changed. I knew from the get go that I had a massive crush on her, however even Lindsey couldn't tell if Katie liked me back. On the last night of camp we had a bonefire and sitting around that fire we both finally admitted that we loved each other, neither of us would still admit it was more than a friendship though. After camp she was immediately leaving to go to the free methodist confrence for moundford. She was going to be at church on Sunday then gone for a week... and of course I was way too nervous to say anything at church. We said our awkward goodby and away she went to florida for a week. While she was on her way driving to florida we were both exhausted however still wanted to talk to each other so we both somehow managed to stay awake and at some point during our conversation we both finally admitted it, we liked each other! So we like each other, its easy now right? Not so much, we both recognised the fact that we are best friends and have been there for each other through so much that we were both terrified to lose that, so we took it very slow to start and we were just best friends who were a bit closer for a while. We hung out more often and spent just about every free second together until finally on one fateful night, I asked her to be my girlfriend and she said yes! After that night we have been inseperable, if I'm not at work I'm probably with her. We have continued to work in the church and I have since joined multiple committies and a CR class with katie. We have still been there for each other through everything and I know we always will be there for each other. During us dating we went everywhere, from going to chicago to see Whit, Jamie, and Harley, to going to Pella just because to hang out with her friends, or going to a josh turner concert, going to starved rock to go hiking, or just spending time together bing watching entire movie series because we're both exhausted. Finally we reached the point where I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, through the good and the bad, and united through Christ. However before I could ask her to marry me, I had to ask Cliff for permission. Cliff never once scared me when we were best friends, he's an amazing guy and we've both worked on things in the church together multiple times. however as I was now going to be asking for his youngest daugters hand in marrige he suddenly terrified me for some reason. However I got it all planned out we were going on a hunting trip as guys, me, Wes, and Cliff. We left for the hunting trip and during this trip I don't think I've ever prayed so hard, just asking God to given me the words and the strength to ask him. Well the trip came and went and we got back to their house and Katie and Sabra were still gone. Approximetly 10 miniutes before the girls would get back Cliff looked up and asked me "we're running out of time, I think you have something you need to ask me though?" long story short I was extremely nervous and managed to ask him, and I recieved his blessing to marry his daughter. So it comes time to propose, since we had first started dating katie had wanted me to take her on a four wheeler ride, however ours had of course broken down right before we started dating, and between work and her I was spending every second in decatur so I hadn't been able to fix it. Luckily my dad had been kind enough to fix it, and I made a plan with my familys help. On the day we planned I got off from work and went to katies to take a nap knowing we were going to bethany to see my family, she just happened to tell me that we should go for a four wheeler ride tonight. I just carefully replied with oh yeah of course thats a great idea. So later that day we head to bethany and we're hanging out at my parents watching a movie and next thing I know my parents are waking me up. We had BOTH fallen asleep and it was about to get dark. So I got up and got moving to go for our four wheeler ride in 30 degree weather. While were driving along Katie just so happens to meantion that she had gone finshing down a back road we were headed to. Hmm I guess we should head that way, we get down the road and I pulled over to come up on an overlook. As we were walking up Katie made a comment about the leaves being perfectly placed, till we got closer and she realized they were rose petals. She instantly began crying as I got down on one knee and proposed. She said Yes! (hints on why you're all reading this) after the shock began to wear off she said "I have to call my mom" little did she know her parents were back at my parents house waiting on us to get back so we could all celebrate. We headed back to the house and celebrated and the rest is history! Thank you to everyone who is reading this and for being a part of this with us and sharing in this wonderful time in our lives!