Our story began on September 5th, 2023 when Peighton walked into a new bible study group on a Tuesday night. She had recently decided to stay in Lubbock and start her first career job as a Physical Therapist, and was looking to get plugged into a young adult group. Soon after she arrived, a guy hobbled in the front door on crutches and introduced himself as James Hampton. He sat down in the empty seat next to Peighton and began to tell the group about how he had hurt his knee earlier that day. After the bible study had ended, James started a conversation with Peighton. According to James, he knew he was going to marry Peighton from the moment he saw her. It came up that Peighton had recently graduated from physical therapy school, and James decided to ask her to examine his knee. Peighton was hesitant at first since they had literally just met, but she agreed. As soon as they left the bible study, James called his best friend Mason to tell him about Peighton Starch. Mason thought that name sounded familiar, and after talking more he realized that he worked with Peighton's dad - small world!


James would continue to make it a point to talk to Peighton at their bible study every week and slip in the occasional flirty comment, like telling Peighton that he liked her hair after she dyed it (not obvious at all). James found out he had to have surgery on his knee, and mentioned the surgery to Peighton the next time he saw her. She offered to give him a ride home from his surgery, not knowing that he had turned down FOUR other people in hopes that she would. Peighton was pretty oblivious to James' scheming at this point (shocker), but her sister Presley saw James coming from a mile away. James was feeling no pain when Peighton came to pick him up from his surgery, and they ended up spending that afternoon together getting to know more about each other while they waited for the anesthesia to wear off. Peighton was James' personal chauffeur for the following days until he could drive again.


James and Peighton began dating on October 22nd, 2023. It did not take Peighton long to begin to realize that this might be the guy she was going to marry. James told Peighton he loved her after meeting her family the week of Thanksgiving, and Peighton told James that she loved him while they were in New Braunfels for her birthday weekend. Peighton and James kept the Lord at the center of their relationship and trusted His timing. On December 23rd, 2024 James proposed (and almost forgot to put the ring on Peighton's finger he was so excited)!


The next chapter of our story is coming up on November 29th, and we are so excited to celebrate with you all!