Tori and I met at a mutual friend's house watching Mississippi State on their historical world series run in the summer of 2021. Even though Tori and I met there, I mostly talked to her twin sister Hanna (my favorite Barker). The next thing I know Tori invited me to her birthday supper a week or so later. I was new to Jackson and needed friends in the area so reluctantly I drove out to Flora where Tori is from. From that party I realized that I enjoyed Tori’s company and something was different about this girl. That birthday supper turned into hanging out more and more once we got back to Starkville during the school year. From the first conversation with Tori I knew she was a special girl and had the feeling she would never be interested in a guy like me. I immediately tried to set her up with my higher quality friends since I thought she was too good for me. Thank God that didn’t work out since the more we hung out the more I became in awe of this girl. She checked every box I wanted in a wife which scared me to death. Her smile will light up any room, her laughter brightens up any situation, her cooking will make anyone’s mouth water, and she has the sweetest heart of anyone I know. After taking things way to slowly I finally asked her to be my girlfriend and then asked her to be my wife a little over a year later. Through all of the ups and downs we have had I couldn’t be more thankful to have you by my side Victoria.

Talking about the day we met is an interesting conversation between Graham and I because while I remember spending a lot of time talking to him, he says we hardly spoke to each other at all. After we met, I hung out with Graham at a birthday party for Hanna, Aunt Angie, and I and then we spent the next couple of months at school getting to know each other a little better and we usually hung out with a big group of friends together. In the beginning, our relationship did not go beyond friendship since neither one of us thought there was anything more between us. Graham was even trying to set me up with some of his friends. As the semester continued, Graham’s roommate, Hunter, and I convinced Graham to watch a tv show with us. What started as the three of us watching episodes turned into me and Graham watching movies just the two of us. I will never forget when Graham told me we needed to have a talk. It was at that moment I thought Graham did not want to hang out just the two of us anymore. Having that thought made me realize how it felt to spend time with Graham and how much I looked forward to it. I was sad to think of what I might lose. I really couldn’t believe this feeling since I had never considered it before. I was beyond surprised when he ‘talked’ to me and said he wanted to see where a relationship between the two of us would go beyond friendship. From that point on, we saw each other almost every day and our relationship slowly became what it is now. Looking back on our relationship I think of all the good, bad, happy, sad, exciting, and some difficult times we have been through together. It is through every moment that Graham and I have grown and continue to grow closer together and prove our commitment to each other by remaining by each other’s side through it all. It has been so fun getting to call Graham my friend, then my boyfriend, now my fiancé, and I can't wait to call him my husband. I am beyond blessed to have Graham as the love of my life and through him to have some amazing people who are new family members and also some awesome friends who are practically family. Every day I am so thankful and grateful and I cannot wait to spend a lifetime with Graham. Thank you for choosing me G. I love you always.

One thing yall need to know about Tori is that she is NOSY! Keeping the engagement ring away from her was the hardest secret I have ever had to keep. I snuck off to Baton Rouge with the help of my mother one weekend to buy that fancy rock she has now. She actually called me during the ring buying process and I had to run outside and act like I was out of breath since I was “doing yard work for my grandfather” that day. Through multiple fibs and misdirection the day eventually came to ask her to be my wife. I took her to a little Greek place in Ridgeland and pointed out a flower garden on the side of the road knowing she would say that she wanted to go look at the flowers. After not touching my lunch because of the nerves I agreed to take her to the flower garden knowing that is where we were going to go anyways. Once I had her in prime position to pop the question while her sister was hiding in the brush ready to take pictures of the act, I got down on a knee and didn't even get the words out. We embraced and became engaged even though I didn't ask and she didn't say yes. I can't tell you how happy I am that I found my person. I love you, Victoria Anne.

The story of Graham proposing starts with us deciding that it is going to be a secret all the way down to the ring since I was so unsure of what I wanted and thought everything was gorgeous! To tell this story right I have to go back to spring break of 2023 because even though Graham was supposed to keep it a secret, he was so excited that he told me he had been ring shopping. Flash forward to summer 2023 when he was really keeping quiet about it all and telling me not to expect a ring until December or later. I am a really nosy person so I did not make keeping quiet easy for Graham, his family, or mine. That is when Graham told me he was going with his mom to Gulfport to visit with papaw. As it would turn out, this was actually a trip down to the jewelry store in Louisiana where they were heading to design my ring! One night at dinner with Graham and his parents they let me in on the secret anniversary party for his aunt Julie and uncle Andy that was going to be happening at his aunt Rosie’s house on August 26th. Graham was going to be home from school for the weekend and said before the surprise party he wanted to take me to lunch and go ring shopping because “he had not had any time to go shopping and he wanted me to help pick things out”. My family then also told me to get all dressed up because after the party we were going to be taking family photos since Hanna was leaving for Orlando the next day to start the Disney College Program… There were a lot of exciting things going on this weekend! So I got dressed up and ready to go for the day and Hanna, Aidan, and I went shopping and then to meet Graham so he and I could go eat lunch and “ring shop”. After Graham and I ate lunch, we stopped by a flower garden that we had talked about on the way to lunch. As we walked around, we made it to a straight stretch of the path, and ahead of us I saw my sister and brother crouched down. When I turned back towards Graham he was down on one knee. I do not remember if he asked me to marry him or if I even said yes, I just jumped into his arms. I couldn’t believe what was happening! After that, we headed to the “surprise anniversary party” which ended up being a surprise engagement party with our family and friends! It was an unforgettable, perfect day.