Picture this… You’re 12 years old in band class at AGS Middle School in Fenton, Michigan sitting next to your best friend playing the flute. Braces, probably a little smelly, and deeply crushing on the tall boy across the room playing the saxophone. Yep, that’s how it all started.

I can’t remember the very first time I laid eyes on David Foster, but I knew I was hooked enough to have a journal that I exchanged with my best friend since first grade where I gushed all about him. Thank God for the gift of friendship that let me pour my heart out over a boy that I never even talked to. You might be thinking, how did you like this kid if you never even talked?! Great question, and I’m still figuring out that same thing. It had to be that he was 6’0” in middle school and his deep voice that I heard lingering through the halls. But, David avoided me like the black plague. For valid reasons. David says the first time he heard my name was when someone told him I was really into him. He was freaked out by me while I was having a near heart attack anytime I was in his presence (luckily, this hasn’t changed for me even 13 years later).

Middle school was quite a treat for our story and I will never let David live it down that he chose to avoid me (we still giggle about these days). David floated into a relationship and then I packed my bags in 7th grade and moved to Arizona. By 8th grade, David and I were texting back and forth. I think he finally realized that I was decently cute and cool, but he was a jerk to me and we didn’t honor each other's hearts in the slightest. Alas, we were living exactly 2,034 miles apart from one another so it fizzled out as does every 14 year old texting “thing.” I still kept the journal thriving with my friend in Michigan, and by the will of the Lord, she mingled her way into David’s friend group in highschool. Through our constant back and forth of writing, I was graciously hearing about David’s life even thousands of miles apart. He never knew this, of course. But I also knew that he was deeply hurting through the small excerpts in a notebook.

While I was reading about David’s journey in high school, I was living my own high school journey quite differently from him. My freshman year of high school, I met the Lord and my heart began to soften in a way I never experienced before. Specifically, my heart really softened for David who I knew walked between being an atheist and a believer in the new age. David and I followed each other on Instagram and I watched in awe of him for many years after high school as he seemed to be happy and healthy in a relationship with someone who showed him the grace of Jesus. I was really happy for him. Meanwhile, for David, he admitted he had to mute me on Instagram because anytime he would scroll to my profile, his heart would stir in him when he saw me. David was literally moved by me to the point he couldn’t even look at what I was doing, and he had no idea who I was. Dang, Jesus was really trying to tell him something, huh?! I was living my own life throughout college, doing my best to serve the Lord, mentor high school kiddos, and figure out what I wanted (and what I really didn’t want) in a future husband through trial and error. Truthfully, David was nothing but a distant memory. Until…

I got a direct message from him on Instagram on February 2, 2022. David was so apologetic for how he treated me all those years ago and felt terribly sorry for any trouble he caused me. It was a really kind DM, and he wished me a wonderful and happy life (which I think he foreshadowed - because I am, as he is going to be my husband and it’ll be the best life I ever do live). We both thought that was the door closed to our very odd relationship the past 10ish years.

However, a few months pass and in May, David started posting Bible scriptures to his Instagram stories which was wild to me as he was never active on social media AND he was an atheist. I was so struck by his heart change which compelled me to reach out to him. Little did I know that by me reaching out would spark the sweetest friendship of all time. We were friends in a way I hadn’t experienced before with a male. He would share glimpses of his heart with the Lord, what he was learning, the men who were investing into him, what was going on with his life (quick plug: I gave David a book recommendation which ultimately changed his career trajectory), but I was packing my bags to spend the next three months studying abroad in Spain and France. David didn’t seem interested in me in that way and I most certainly wasn’t interested in him as I was preparing to live my hot girl summer in Europe. I would respond to David probably every 3-4 days, yet he would always try to steal a sliver of my attention by sending me a new song he enjoyed. It was really tender.

Flash forward to November of 2022. My brother invited me as his +1 to one of our dear friend’s wedding in Charlevoix, Michigan. Since I was living in Arizona at the time, it was a trek for me to get there. I tested the waters to see if David would be free to catch up in person for coffee since we had been texting back and forth the past six months. He said yes. The catch? I wasn’t really in town, rather a 3 hour and 21 minute drive away from David. I remember asking my brother, “Boys don’t drive this far for a girl they’re just trying to be friends with, right?!” He giggled.

That day on November 12, 2022 truly changed my heart. We were awkward trying to figure out each other’s personalities in person rather than behind a screen, yet I knew something was radically different about David than anyone I had ever known. He brought depth to our conversation, sharing pieces of his heart that once felt so shattered. When I heard him sharing about these pieces, it was like I was looking through a stained glass window. I was moved as I realized just how beautiful his heart truly was. David admits that he saw an instant change in my behavior as he headed home and I was the first one to text him and thank him for the half day we spent today, rather than the usual wait of the 3-4 days like he was used to.

Soon after, David and I were on FaceTime spending countless hours together revealing a new depth to our relationship. He finally admitted he had feelings for me (shocker!), and I admitted the same. I visited Michigan for another wedding in December, and David drove 4 hours to visit me. He joyfully asked me to be his girlfriend in a Chick-fil-A parking lot (this is very fitting for us, lol).

The first six months of David and I’s relationship was long distance, and it was challenging, yet so rewarding. As I considered my future, I applied for Master of Social Work programs at three schools and the University of Michigan checked all my boxes. I truly didn’t move to Michigan to be closer to David, but the Lord had it in mind all along. In the summer of 2023, my mom and David road tripped from Arizona to Michigan with me and helped me. Our relationship blossomed when we were together in person.

After growing together for over a year, David and I deeply prayed and considered a life together permanently. Want to know something really sweet? In May of 2022, David journaled and asked the Lord if I would be his wife. Nearly 2 years later, David’s prayer was abundantly answered. On May 4, 2024, David bent down on one knee and asked me to be his wife before we went on a backpacking trip together. It was perfect. Picture mushy gushy feelings & lots of tears!

Now, we’re just counting down the days until we become one! Oh, what a triumphant joy it will be to be husband and wife. Ultimately, we’re just two kiddos who are deeply in love with one another striving to give all our glory and praise to our King. We couldn’t have asked for a better love story even if we tried. Our Lord is full of redemption and His hand is over every detail in our story.

So, what’s next?! Right after our wedding as we become one, we’ll explore the bliss of being Mr. & Mrs. Foster in Glacier National Park for a week. Then, we’ll move in together for the first time as newlyweds. We’re already jumping up and down at the thought of endless sleepovers. And truly, I just can’t wait to live out what David advised me to do on February 2, 2022 - to live a wonderful and happy life, and I simply can’t believe I get to do it with him. He is the wonderful and happy life I have always dreamed of, and my 12 year old heart squeals at the thought of it everyday that it’s him who gets to be my husband.

We can’t wait to celebrate our day with you. Thank you for joining us in such a beautiful celebration. Put your dancing shoes on and we’ll see you on the dance floor!