One day, as my friend Jill and I were walking through the Mill Lab (computer lab) at The University of Texas, she stopped to talk to this tall, handsome guy, looking sharp as always. If you would have told me then that he would be my husband some day, I would have said "SCORE!" because he was WAY out of my league. Or at least that's what I thought then.

Over the next three years, we had a series of encounters. We went to the pool, got drinks downtown, ate cookie dough on my couch while watching How I Met Your Mother, a show he didn't even like but watched two seasons of just to hang out with me. Alex was featured on my college blog because of a dinner "hang out" we had one day after work. He even attended my 21st birthday, which is where we took our very first picture together. My favorite "hang out" was driving through neighborhoods in Austin picking out our favorite houses, jamming to the radio, and talking for hours.

One Christmas when I was home at my parent's house, my mom and I were driving in the car, when I got a snapchat from Alex. My mom saw him and said, "Ohhh he's cute! Why don't you date him?!" I just laughed and said we were just friends.

Eventually in 2014, Alex and I decided it was time to actually date. He took me to dinner at Olive and June, this wonderful Italian restaurant in downtown Austin for my birthday, and surprised me with roses. We had an amazing time. It didn't take long for us to fall in love, and to have many wonderful adventures. Over the past few years we have gone to the UT OU Red River game, explored Chicago, hiked in North Carolina, beached at Fripp Island, discovered our favorite spots in Dallas, danced the night away on New Year's Eve, partied in Baton Rouge, and played at Disney World (just to name a few).

While I love all of our adventures, nothing beats daily life with Alex. He is supportive when I need a helping hand, comforting when I am upset, and he brings a light to my life that could never be replaced. My favorite rituals of ours include random dance parties with just the two of us, Sunday morning coffee, and game day pancakes. I still love looking at houses with him, building our life together, and planning our future. I can't wait to be a part of Alex's wonderful family and for him to be a part of mine! I really am the luckiest girl in the world!

Love Always,

Melanie

It was sophomore year of college and I was in the computer lab working on a project for one of my classes. One of my friends walked in with her sorority sister. I said hello and introduced myself quickly before getting back to my project. She was wearing an extra large fraternity shirt with a pair of running shorts, the Texas sorority uniform. As is true of everyday of her life, she looked effortlessly beautiful. That was the day I met Melanie Thompson.

Fast forward a few months later and it's Melanie's 21st birthday. Somehow I had gotten pulled into the party with her and all her girlfriends which made for a very memorable night for me. As for Melanie, that's a different story. We stopped at Pete's Piano Bar downtown Austin, one of the many watering holes we explored that night, where it took all of 7 minutes for Melanie to be up on stage dancing in her pretty little dress she had picked out for her special night. Of all the songs they could have played, the dueling pianos chose "I'm a little teapot" for her to dance to. It had been quite some time since I had seen anyone do the "teapot dance", but I don't remember Melanie's version being quite what they had taught in elementary school. She caught the eye of every bachelor in the house, and stole my heart right then and there.

Over the next few months we had a number of "hang outs"; those awkward encounters when you're not sure if you're on a date or not, but we're both too polite to say anything. She had been dating someone at the time, but they had broken up at some point and I never fully found out what the situation was. Regardless, I feared, like every man has at some point in his life has, of falling into the never ending darkness known only as THE FRIENDZONE. As such, I did the only prudent thing to do, and wave the white flag for the time being and move on.

We saw each other a little more sporadically over the next year. I had graduated and began working in Austin, and she had been finishing her masters degree and internships. I had all but thought I missed my chance, when one afternoon I was watching a bit of TV with my roommate and some text appeared on the screen. We were watching one of those police shows where they hunt down criminals and at the end give a little summary of what became of them. In this particular instance the summary read: Melanie Thompson was arrested for an outstanding robbery warrant and later released. I hadn't seen her for quite some time at that point, but I snapped a picture of the screen and sent her a text saying "WHAT DID YOU DO?!".

We started texting back and forth after that until one day our office kickball team needed a couple of girls to come play as was required by the coed league we were a part of. I asked one of my friends and Melanie if they could help us out. She said yes.

After that we went on a few more of those awkward dates again and I saw myself falling into the same pattern as before. Finally, I realized that I knew exactly what I wanted and it was up to me to make it happen. I asked her out on a real date. She said yes again.

From that day forward we have been inseparable, and it's been the best time of my life.

Looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way. And while I didn't know it at the time, now I'm so excited to say that I can't wait for that little teapot to be my wife.

Love you baby.

-Alexander