Tim and I always get the question, "So how did you guys meet?" Looking back on Tim and I's lives leading up to meeting each other, it is so clear to us that the Lord brought us together in His perfect timing. A while back, Tim began working with dear family friends of mine and they began name dropping us to one another. At the time, we didn't think much of it and kept going about our separate lives.
Tim and I both attend the same church and after hearing about him and seeing photos of him through being friends with mutual people, I started noticing him around. I became more intrigued with who he was, but still went on about my own business. In the Fall of 2017, his name kept coming up again more frequently from my family friends.."You just really do need to meet Tim, D" was a phrase I was hearing often!
On December 5th, our Young Adults Ministry, the Porch, was having their annual Christmas Concert. There are tons of people at this event, but among all those people, this was the night that started it all as I decided it was the night Tim was going to become (at the least) my friend. I was reverse greeting after the concert and Tim came walking by me as everyone was exiting the concert. I thought to myself, "You know what..why not, there's Tim. I'm going to introduce myself!"
In a not smooth at all manner I'm sure, I nonchalantly hit him on the shoulder and basically said, "Hey..I know who you are because the Toney family has told me so much about you. I have been seeing you around and just wanted to meet you. I'm D'Ann!" It was a very quick exchange and then we went our separate ways.
Quickly after, I received a text from our mutual friend, Bethany.."I heard you met Tim tonight!" And so it all began. Two days later, on December 7th, Tim reached out to me and asked me to grab coffee. I still very vividly remember receiving that message! We had our first date that next Tuesday, on December 12th and the rest is history. After getting to know each other for a couple of months or so, we began officially dating in January and have been making fun memories since.
On August 31st, we made the best memory yet! I was under the impression that I was going to celebrate my friend Ash's birthday over dinner with our friend Paige. The plan was for Paige to drive me and her to the restaurant to meet Ash there. Shortly after Paige and I headed there, we received a text from Ash that "things blew up at work" and she was going to be late. I should have known better, Ash is never late!! Paige proceeded to tell me that we would just drop off a "lipsense order" at a house over by the restaurant since we had a little time to kill. We turned into a neighborhood and I immediately saw Tim's truck parked on the side of the road. I looked to the left and there he was waiting under a gazebo for me. I was definitely freaking out and was very surprised. Here Tim proposed to me and I said Yes! It was the happiest day ever!
The weekend was full of sweet celebrating with our friends and family who truly went above and beyond for us. We are so very grateful for the people God has gifted us with and are so excited for this next season together!
Over a year before I met D’Ann, I can vividly remember one of my bosses coming up to me one day at work and asking me if I was dating anyone. I laughingly said, “No not at the moment”. He then told me, “Well I’ve got a girl for you, her name is D and she’s one of my daughter’s best friends, and she’s amazing.” That was the first moment I heard a description of D’Ann. Over the next year or so, every so often he would bring her up to me again and again saying, “You just let me know when you’re ready to meet D”. In the last week of November in 2017, I got lunch with my bosses family and said, “You know what, sure lets make it happen I’d love to meet her.” That weekend I went to the wedding of one of my other bosses and I happened to catch the garter… foreshadowing?? The next week at The Porch Christmas concert (The porch is a young adult ministry that both D’Ann and I serve at) I was taking photos of the concert and I was walking out of the sanctuary to take more photos elsewhere, when I got a tap on my shoulder.
I turned around and there she was, I was instantly amazed at how beautiful she was. She introduced herself as D’Ann and said she had heard about me from our mutual friends.. meanwhile I’m standing there staring at how ridiculously attractive she is, hoping and praying my mouth wasn’t open. We talked for maybe 45 seconds, then we both had to get back to our volunteering roles. I immediately txted my bosses family and said, “wow that was fast, ya’ll didn’t waste any time telling her to introduce herself haha.” Only to be then told that they hadn’t said anything yet! They claimed, “it's destiny” and I guess they were right.
A few days later that week, I reached out to her on facebook and asked if she’d like to meet me for coffee next week. She said she’d love to, (instant jumping fist pump celebration) and our first date was on the calendar.
From the night of our fist date I knew this girl was something special, from the night of our second date I knew this was a girl I wanted to spend a longggggg time with. That was the night I found our her birthday was September 21, which happens to be the first line in my favorite song of all time #epic. It wasn’t long after we started dating in January of 2018, that I knew I wanted to marry this girl. On August 31, I asked her to marry me and she said YES!
D’Ann is wholeheartedly devoted to Christ and his mission, and she constantly encourages me to live out my faith daily. She makes me want to be a better man and I could not be more excited and ready to spend the rest of my life with her!! I love you D’Ann! I can’t wait to be your husband.