It was the first few weeks of our sophomore year at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, when we both had a craving for pizza. Up until this point we had no idea who each other were. For some miraculous reason we had both managed to avoid one another our whole freshman year! Granted we weren't allowed to look at our food or talk to one another in the hallways. But, for only going to a school of about 1,200 cadets where everyone knows everyone, this was still quite the accomplishment.

Nonetheless, that September evening we both decided to grab some pizza for dinner in our mess hall. Both of us started talking to one another in line, and began to form a connection, mostly over who was better, the Eagles or the Packers. However, after that night we both kept the conversation going...

Shortly thereafter, we would meet again at our on campus Christian bible study, Officers' Christian Fellowship (OCF). One night at OCF, Turner decided to work up the courage to ask Leonora out. But not in the traditional sense. This was all also taking place during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. So that meant no leaving campus, no restaurants, an no dating in the traditional sense. So with this smooth pick-up line, Turner asked, "do you want to shine some boots together?" To no surprise Leonora accepted, and the rest was history.

We would continue to date throughout our whole Academy experience, and did not have our first real, sit down, dinner date until our First Anniversary. Almost two year later, Turner took Leonora back to that same restaurant, the Ocean House, where he would propose! Following our graduation from the Academy in May of 2023, we both moved to our first assignments in Portsmouth, VA. Turner is a Deck Watch Officer onboard USCGC Legare, and Leonora is a Student Engineer onboard USCGC Tampa. We both have been so blessed by God with this assignment. Though it may seem that we are both on two ships passing in the night, we have been surrounded by the same OCF community that brought us together in the first place. Everything from our church to our roommates have been nothing short of a blessing. We hold strong to our faith in God and look forward to this gift of marriage that he has given us.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

- Romans 8:28

We look forward to having you be a part of our special day! May the Lord bless you all!