Who would have thought that a simple meeting in a church would spark a bond that turned us into best friends and lifelong lovers?

In 2014, we met for the first time at the baptism of our goddaughter, Autumn. Though we were strangers that day, we quickly became connected through family and friendship. Over the years, we built a foundation of laughter, tears, joy, and countless shared moments. Even as life took us in different directions, we always knew deep down that being together felt like home.

Through college, new jobs, moves, and life’s many changes, one thing remained constant—our connection. Friends and family would often joke about how we spent endless hours on the phone, laughing and talking until the sun came up. But life had its way of testing us. We drifted apart for a time, exploring other relationships, yet the old saying proved true: “If it’s meant to be, it will be.”

In 2021, fate brought us back together. What began as a small rekindling of our friendship quickly grew into something deeper. By the summer of 2022, we were officially a couple, picking up right where we had left off and creating new memories along the way. That September, we celebrated Michael’s 29th birthday with a trip to Charlotte, filled with laughter and love, solidifying what we already knew—we belonged together.

Then, on a cold November night, everything changed. After returning from a trip with friends, Shaquanda was greeted by Michael, who had come to escort her home. On November 21, 2022, he dropped to one knee and asked the question that would mark the beginning of our forever.

And the rest is history.