Troy and I met in high school. He was a senior and I was a junior. We both had a very different friends group, so we really never crossed paths until one day when he randomly messaged me on Facebook. He told me that his friend thought I was cute and we ended up messaging back and fourth for hours that day. Little did I know, it was not his friend that was interested, it was him. Ever since that moment, we talked for a while and it wasn’t until he skipped me in the lunch line, that we finally had our first face to face conversation. It was not long after that, Troy took me on our first date. It probably was the most awkward first date I’ve ever had. We went to the Whitewater movie theater to see “Easy A” and we were the only two people in the theater. To top it off, after the movie, Troy took me to Taco Bell and did not order anything. He just ordered food for me and watched me eat my food. I remember going home that day and my older sister asking me: “So how was it?” and I said, “It was nothing that I expected, and I think I want to see him again”.

We continued to talk and hang out here and there. I remember we had a notebook that we would write notes to each other throughout the day in high school. We would share how our day was going and Troy would always have his very detailed drawings he would have to add in almost every note. When I was done with class, Troy would always walk with me to our next class and we would exchange the notebook. There is one day in high school that really sticks out since we began becoming an item. There was a student who was Autistic, who always sat alone and one of our teachers, Mr. Butters asked if we could sit with him at lunch. I still remember that moment to this day. It was just Troy and I sitting with this boy, having a small conversation, that this boy would allow and it was a moment that I will always remember.

As the years went on, Troy went on tour for multiple years. First starting on AGT, Marvel for four years and Cirque du Soleil for a year. Our relationship was long distance, sometimes months or years at a time. I was in college, which kept me busy with the times we were apart pursuing our careers. But, we never failed to make sure that we spent that time with each other as much as we were able to. Through those times when he was on tour, we had the best of times and the worst of times. It’s only those times that made us stronger together.

After all the tours and distance apart, Troy and I decided that it was time to make the big step to buy a house. We were very lucky and got the opportunity to buy an amazing house (from some amazing people) with property that was exactly what we pictured throughout the years of being together. This was the place where Troy asked me the BIG question. I remember that day so vividly. I came home late from my very first day at my new job at Prairie View Elementary school. It was August 8th, 2022. I came home, granted I was wearing a nice dress and I told him that I needed to get out of this dress and into something comfortable. He agreed (knowing me so well) and he told me that he was making a fire and I should come out and hang out by the fire. I then told him that I will, but I have to send some emails first. He said I could do that later and was really wanting me to come out by the fire. I thought it was kind of weird, but I sent the emails anyway. Once I made my way out to the fire, with my comfy clothes, slip on sandals with socks, he was standing by our garden and began talking about the garden. Then he started talking about the trees and I looked over at the trees, and as I looked back at him he was on one knee with a small box, opened up with the perfect ring. He was the most nervous I had ever seen him, even doing a crazy trick. He asked me to Marry him and I said yes. It was the most spur of the moment proposal and it was just him and I, at our home, the place we worked so hard together to achieve. It was simply one of the best days. It was us and the life we always dreamed of.

There is so much more of our journey that I left out that would take more pages to fill. The best part about our journey is that it never ends and it only gets better from here. ♥️