On April 13th 2022, I (Maria) took a climbing class with some of my friends. The instructor of the class was you guess it, Josh :) He wasn't even supposed to teach, but last minute he stepped in which really worked out great for us. Apparently when he first saw me he thought I was cute, and hoped I was in his class. When I met it, I thought he was super cool and chill, and cute too, and I wanted to know more about him.

Through a mutual connection I found out he was a believer and that was intriguing to me. Someone who loves the Lord and being adventurous?! Josh found out I was interested in his story and reached out to me the only way he could - through Instagram DMs (don't roast him, he got my phone number pretty soon after that).

After a little bit of time, he finally asked me to lunch in May. We had fun getting to know each other, and before long we had gone on a few dates. I was gone quite a bit at camp during the summer, so it wasn't until August 10th, when Josh officially asked me to be his girlfriend, and the rest is history! We've had a blast throughout our relationship growing closer together and going on many adventures!

Josh proposed on May 15th, 2023, and we're both so excited to spend the rest of our lives as one and glorifying God together!

Now it's time to hear my (Josh) side of the story. I happened to be teaching a climbing class for a coworker who was sick, and lucky me! I just happened to have this cutie in it who loved the Lord. After finding out she was in the same sorority as one of my friends and was a strong believer, well, you could say I had taken an interest.

I admit it may have taken me a while to work up the courage to ask her on our first date, but who wouldn't be nervous? I enjoyed it quite a bit and was looking forward to the next when she snuck off to some camp that I had never heard of and I was left hoping that she would remember me by the time she got back.

Luckily this was only a few weeks and she decided that I was worth the while and we got to have a few more dates before she would leave for the rest of the summer, talk about putting me through it man, especially when she said she didn't like hugs! Really left me wondering what a guy was to do out here.

Well as the story goes I was blessed by the Lord and able to see her again when she returned to Nebraska and by some miracle she did agree to be my girlfriend.

I cannot wait to be married and see what the Lord has in store for us, I have already been blessed by Maria in so many ways and am absolutely ecstatic to have a lifetime of adventure, memories, and love with her.