Many have been wondering about the story of Alex and I and it is quite a story that dates back to summer gym at the beginning of Sophomore year in 2008. Besides beating him in every summer gym activity, at this time we had met and got along, but it wasn't until our friendship and relationship blossomed down the road.

A little bit over a year later, our separate friends group merged during Junior/Senior Wars where Alex and I reunited while we were TPing seniors in the area. That night, I also got the pleasure of meeting some of our very close friends today!

After that night, Alex ended up adding me as a friend on Facebook and we were talking back and forth and continued to hang out together most nights and on the weekends with our newly merged friends group. We were often found at bonfires, bow fishing at Dalbow, or taking on new adventures at Klondike or somehow (against my will) some haunted places. We even had the song "Love Like Crazy" by Lee Brice declared as our song. Still to this day, when I hear this song, I think about us and the memories we made many moons ago.

This lasted for the majority of our junior and senior year of high school. There were so many people that were rooting for us and knew that there was always something special between the two of us. I knew it too and I always had the feeling that he was the one.

After high school, I ended up moving to Tennessee to pursue my dream of playing college softball and getting my degree to become a teacher. We kept in touch and would text every once in awhile to check on one another and we continued that throughout my whole time in Tennessee.

A quick side story for you.... one time I was headed home from Tennessee in December of 2016 and I got stuck in a snow storm on highway 55 for 5 hours. While waiting in the snow storm, I saw that Alex made a post on Facebook that he was also stuck in the snow storm about a mile ahead of me. I called him and we ended up talking on the phone for over an hour, like we never skipped a beat. I knew that our spark and the magic was still there.

After a long 8 years, I moved back to Missouri in 2019 and I told myself that I was going to work on loving myself, providing for Walker, and becoming the best version of myself. My goal was to be patient and to let God lead me where I needed to go and who I needed in my life.

I reached out to Alex shortly after I had moved back and I told him that I was back and that I had a teaching job in Wentzville. I also told him that it was just Walker and I.

A little bit after in 2020, I found myself praying to God one night for him to light the path for me to find someone that would be best for Walker and I. Somehow the very next morning, the person I wanted to hear from the most ended up reaching out to me. God pointed Alex in my direction. Alex ended up contacting me through SnapChat about a Sturgill Simpson song. Ever since that one SnapChat, we talked every day, all day long for months.

From that time on, after we talked everyday for the next year, we FINALLY made things official in September 2021. I did eventually ask Alex why he sent me that SnapChat that day and he said he was ready to see if there was something there still... turns out there was and the feeling was mutual!

Since then, we have been through so much together with so many memories and adventures under our belt. Alex stepped up and became Daddy Alex quickly into our relationship, we moved into together and we bought property in Silex and built our dream shop, we traveled to a few different states, and now we are getting married to keep the dreams going.

We got engaged on October 22, 2023 and it was a sweet surprise that Alex proposed on our property where we plan on building our house. Cassi and Danni were there to capture the moment! Shortly after the proposal, my parents, Alex’s parents, and his brother and Emily pulled in the driveway to congratulate us with IMOs pizza, cake, and champagne. It was the perfect day and we ended it with a sunset sxs ride to close out the night.

I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason and this is the perfect example that God is present and he has a plan. The boy that I wanted when I was 16 is the man that I needed at 30. The paths that led us to each other in the end was well worth the battle. Our story is not simple, but I wouldnt trade it for the world. We cant wait to begin this chapter of marriage and live out our dreams!