Hey every one, Talyn here! I’ve taken it upon myself (Jillian has asked me) to put to words our Story; the how and why of our relationship.

With that being said I can’t start anywhere else but from the top! In the summer of 2020 Jillian and I first ran into each other at Zaxby’s in Niceville Fl! I saw her and immediately knew what I wanted! I knew what I was going to say and how I would say it, my posture was practiced, my tone was precise, I could not miss the mark on this one! “So here goes nothing!” I thought, “You gonna eat those?” I said as I was pointing to her leftover french fries. Without saying a single word to me, or even looking in my direction she handed me her fries. Despite her seeming lack of care for my existence I knew that she was in the bag. Some people talk about love at first sight, but I think the words “love at fourth sight” are more accurate. Jillian worked at a Smoothie king with a dear friend of mine and each time I came by to see him I would see her. Did she see me? The world may never know. To her (so she says) I was some kid from another school, obnoxious, and a partier. Someone who she assumed would never be interested in her. Little did she know I was all in! After a couple smoothie king visits and plenty of Chocolate Gladiators I ended up asking her to homecoming and that became our first date! Jillian thought there’d be no sparks, but lo and behold, there were sparks.

For her this was a totally unexpected turn of events! Our first date solidified that there was somewhat of a connection, but that’s definitely not the end of it. Our relationship went on a month and a half hiatus and we eventually started going on dates again, but I prematurely considered her my girlfriend after those few dates. (Side note) After four and a half years of being with Jillian, one of the many things I’ve learned is that she is not scared of being headstrong. I first learned this when she told me “you’re not my boyfriend, you haven’t asked me out!”. To be fair at the time I didn’t know those were the rules of the game. So I planned the most romantic date one can possibly think of! Olive Garden and the beachy night sky. It was there at the beach that I asked her to be my girlfriend.

A couple years go by and we grow. Jillian goes off to UF — finds an abundant Jesus centered community, and grows into an even more beautiful Woman. We had to rough out the difficulties of long distance, but we concluded this: we want to love and serve each other. Through the college years we got older, we matured , we have learned from the plethora of mistakes we made in high school and we keep learning from the plethora of mistakes we make now. In light of our years together we’ve had to make one constant decision. Day by day, month by month, even year by year we have made the conscious choice to love one another as Christ has loved us. It hasn’t all been easy, but that comes with the job. Jillian and I even created a sort of montra “good things are hard”.
But all of this was just to explain the “How” what about the “why?”.
For this part we’ll both have to chime in. Jillian why are you with me?

I think when asked this question I could go a million directions. But I guess I’ll start here. Talyn has taught me a new form of love. He has taught me what it truly means to love like Jesus. Every single person he meets, no matter where they’re from, how old they are, how much money they have or lack, how broken or together their life is, is approached the exact same way by him. A way of completely innocent and utter love which comes from his deep love for the Father. Also they’re met with a random fun fact most likely. When I met Talyn he was already passionate about the things he loved. I had the perfect chance to watch that love for Jesus begin and that fiery passion burn since the day he surrendered his life to Christ. I am also the luckiest girl in the world to experience his intentionality and service for myself, and to get the front row seat in how he leads others in that same way. He loves Jesus deeply and people are drawn to it. His curiosity is infectious and he makes me want to learn and grow more than I ever cared to myself. He embodies worship with his life and I would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to live that life alongside him. Talyn loves Jesus more than he will ever love me and I cant wait to run towards our Heavenly Father together until the day we meet him in glory.

Talyn again! Here’s my why:
Jillian has been a constant picture of gospel love in my life since I was Seventeen. I didn’t just fall in love with her, I fell in love with the way she reflected Christ’s love, something which at the time was foreign to me. When we first started dating there was something foreign to the way she lived. Almost like her life had some secret sauce; the ingredients of which I couldn’t put my finger on. It was alluring in a way nothing had been before. Sure she was pretty, and my type, but she was attractive in a way no one had been before. As the years passed she became my best friend. Someone who had my back, who knew me as well as I knew myself, and who truly sought to serve me.
I was an idiot (I still am).
And some days when all I see is my foolishness she sees something deeper, and calls it out in me. She’s always been like this. She doesn’t just remind me that God has made me in his image, and therefore has value beyond recognition, but she’s always pushed me to actually live that way.
This is my why.

This is why on December fifth of 2024 I took Jillian on a date under the beachy night sky. I asked her to be my girlfriend at night on a beach, so I figured I’d ask her to be my wife there too. After some tears she said yes. We are excited for what God will bring about in this next chapter, and we are in total disbelief that you care enough about us enough to read all this.