I must start my perspective with a confession. I did not want to start dating Peyton.

Flashback to my Sophomore year at NC State University. My friend Nicole approaches a group of our friends and me at Talley Student Union, and trailing right beside her is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She introduces Peyton to us, and we all exchange introductions, and they leave. And you know what I do after the fact? I make no moves on her. No call. No text. No nothing. Because in my mind, I had no chance with Peyton. I’d need a lot of hands to count the number of guys who liked her. I had no chance.

Here’s some of why I later decided to take the chance.

Peyton’s really kind. One time, I was with her and our friends, and I was trying to longboard for the first time in a parking lot, and I hit a crack and skidded across the pavement, and tore open some nasty gashes on my hands. After showing everyone the results, she quickly grabbed her Paw Patrol band-aids in her Kia Soul and insisted that she’d be the one to bandage them up.

She loves her stuffed animals. Whenever I’m having a bad day, she’ll grab one and animate it in front of me to make me feel better. She even brought one of her favorites, Phoebe the Hippo, to her 3rd-grade class and gives Phoebe to her kids whenever they need cheering up.

Peyton is restless. She’s the total opposite of me. Whenever she sits down, she feels the need to stand up and start doing something. She gets a lot of things done.

She has the most beautiful smile. She has the kind of smile you can’t help but smile back at.

She loves to serve other people. Her apartment has been littered with birthdays, galentines, and bible studies over the years, and her car probably has more miles driven with others in it than it does just herself.

She’s excitable. It could be a surprise trip for ice cream, going on a walk, or a weekly grocery run, and she’d be jumping out of her seat.

A little over a year and a half into knowing her, I started to like her.

About half a year later, I asked her out, and she said no.

A little over half a year later, I asked her out again, and she said yes.

I’m so excited to celebrate experiencing the rest of this life with Peyton. Loving her is one of God’s greatest joys in my life.

P&M

Wedding Day