Well for those of you who know me well, you know that I don't tell short stories. I like to give you lots of background knowledge to help you understand the story better...detailed, I like to call it...but sometimes to the point where I forget the story I was even originally telling! But this is the story of how I met Nathan Richard LaShoto:

So let’s go back to February 5, 2016 when I randomly came across Psalm 143:8 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you” and decided to post it to Instagram with the caption “unending love, amazing grace.” See the next day I was to have my first date with Nathan - a blind date - but I could have cared less. I had not had much luck with set ups/blind dates or really just guys in general in the recent past. Nathan and I were set up by Laura Brewer and Kristi Wright. I taught 2nd grade across the hall from Laura and she went to church with Kristi where Nathan then worked as a youth minister.

So this wasn’t Nathan or I’s first blind date so we met for what we now refer to as “the coffee test” at Inman Perk on the Gainesville square. That way if either of us wasn’t feeling it we had an easy out BUT on the off chance (just speaking from experience HA) that we would both be interested in getting to know each other better, dinner was an option. We were “conveniently” (Nate planned) located within walking distance from several restaurants so we decided to go to dinner at Recess. Minutes turned into hours and I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the best date. It left both of us wondering, feeling hopeful yet hesitant about the future.

Also- funny side note: Nathan was already inside when I got there (standing right behind one of my best friends and bridesmaids, Amanda Secunda and her now husband, Evan!) so I waited outside thinking he had stood me up for a good 5 minutes before he came out to meet me!!

We’ve been on many dates since our first on 2.6.16. We’ve traveled, taken new jobs, laughed, cried, and even gotten a cat! ;) I love doing life with Nate by my side.

We traveled to New York because I ran the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon on 3.18.18. We spent the weekend exploring the wonderful city of New York. People always ask so I'll include that I was hopeful Nate would propose on this trip but tried not to focus on that or bring it up.

On Monday we had planned to site see in the lower part of New York. First we tried to take a ferry out to the Statue of Liberty (one of the things I had really wanted to do on this trip) but the line was so long that we decided to check out the 9-11 memorial first. After that solemn experience we headed back to find that the ferry was closed for the day and we were leaving the next morning. So needless to say, I was irritated but we opted for a picture in front of the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately the only person around to take our picture then didn't speak English and didn't even get the Statue of Liberty in the picture! If you know how big of a picture person I am then you know that by this point I was doubly irritated...which made Nate ill as well. So we started to bicker and he threw his book bag down (he likes to leave this part out of our story hehe) and made a snide comment about not getting to do what he wanted. I then spouted out "well you know what I wanted to do on this trip?! I wanted to get engaged but I guess that's still never going to happen!!" Nate came back quickly with "well maybe if you'd let me do something I want to do something could happen!" Half confused, I decided to shut up haha. So we continued on through Wall Street and then made our way to the Empire State Building. We enjoyed the breathtaking views for a while when Nate finally got down on one knee! There just so happened to be a photographer at the top with us who offered to take some pictures of us. After talking with them we found out that they were from Hawaii (where I was born) and were supposed to have met a friend but their plans fell through. They ended up giving us the present intended for their friends which was 2 handmade Hawaiian shirt coasters and the famous and delicious Mauna Loa chocolate covered macadamia nuts! It was such a sweet and special moment. It could not have worked out more perfectly!