At the beginning of 2020, just before COVID hit, we both had a mutual friend online. Due to quarantine boredom, we decided to add each other as friends. Our first conversation revolved around being stuck in our houses and not knowing what was happening. Texting led to phone calls, which eventually turned into FaceTime chats where we would talk for hours about endless subjects.

As time went on, we realized we both liked each other, and he asked me out on a date. Unfortunately, I lived in Kentucky, while he lived in Pennsylvania, which created a bit of a challenge. However, we found a way to meet in person for the first time and finally went on that date! We parted ways thinking that long distance would be difficult.

Despite the challenges, we continued to talk every day and decided to meet up in Columbus, Ohio, which is halfway between us. We would meet once a month, and saying goodbye never got any easier. Fast forward to the following year: after many trips to see each other, I moved to Pennsylvania so we could attend school together.

We spent every possible moment together after being apart for so long, finally enjoying the simple things in life like going on walks and grabbing a bite to eat. As the years went by, we both knew we were meant for each other. We started planning what our future might look like, and on May 23, 2024, Daniel surprised me by taking me to a special park in Columbus on our way to visit family. He proposed on a beautiful bridge, under a canopy of trees, and we are now happily engaged, excited for what God has in store for us next.

R&D