Our story is truly a testament to the Lord's timing. We are so grateful to be here, counting down the days until our wedding!

Fall of 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi I attended one of my first RUF Wednesday night meetings. Accompanying me were a couple friends my age who I knew from camp as well as a couple older upperclassmen who had taken us under their wing. We were being introduced to a blur of upperclassmen and other freshmen at a high tic rate that quickly broke through the capacity of my mental rolodex formed from knowing the same people in the same small town for 18 years. I was introduced to Stephanie via the upperclassmen meet and greet going on. Her one blue eye and one brown eye struck me as extraordinary, and I’m sure my impression on her was not as lasting, except maybe through my name.

I continued to note when I saw her at future RUF meetings. Fall semester continued on and I eventually had the great idea to ask Stephanie to my fraternity's winter formal in Memphis. Still not knowing much about her, but remaining intrigued and maybe a little nervous, we boarded the bus to Beale Street. We began the usual conversation that precedes a date; getting to know one another, but I noticed that this conversation was much more like a great game, like a good rally in pickleball. I thought we were really hitting it off. At one point we were on the topic of the NBC show “The Office” and I shared that my senior year book quote was from Michael Scott, “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little-sitious.” to which she replied she had chosen the same exact quote…

Well that pretty much sealed the deal for me. I was fairly confident that we should be dating.

Although the Formal was great, in a usual not yet matured manner, lacking courage, I failed to follow up with Stephanie for a second. Afraid to express a crush at the risk of rejection. I continued to be friendly with Stephanie throughout undergrad; hoping that we would magically start dating without ever initiating. I would occasionally see her on the square at South Depot and I thought we would always have a fun conversation. This girl is so great.

6 years later, in April of 2024, I was in my second year of graduate school. Although it was my birthday, I was turning 24, I was alone in Oxford about to turn down for the night. I see my phone light up and pick it up to see that Stephanie had wished me a happy birthday. How sweet of her to remember me. I followed that up by asking how she was. She replied with something similar, and I tried to keep the conversation going. My thought that night was, “ok I’ll go to sleep and I doubt she replies tomorrow.” I wake up the next morning and we continue to banter back and forth just like we would do occasionally in undergrad. I continued to think, “oh she’s just being polite, eventually she will ghost me, I know it.” Well a week passed, then a couple weeks, then it had been a whole month, and I was on cloud nine. 2024 Double Decker weekend was approaching, and I told her we should rendezvous at South Depot. I was so nervous. I approached her table with her friends and she quickly made room for a seat for me. We stuck together that night, somewhat covertly as neither of our respective friends knew what was going on and I don’t think we did either as we tested the waters of official dating. The next morning I knew I had to act. She was in from D.C. and I likely wouldn’t get another opportunity. So I put my chips on the table and asked her if she would like to get dinner or go for a walk on campus. She accepted the afternoon walk, which turned into a four hour walk and a dinner at Yaya’s Frozen Yogurt.

I think I could go on and on about more dates and flying up to D.C. and Stephanie coming up to Oxford and meeting her whole family at the beach all at one time. Life with Stephanie is a great adventure, and I’m thrilled to have her for innumerable first dates. Our story continues to grow and grow in truth, servitude, and grace.

The first week of freshman year at Ole Miss, I was more homesick than I had ever imagined was possible. Despite my emotions, I agreed to an older friend’s advice to attend RUF - a campus ministry held on Wednesday evenings. I was introduced to a plethora of fellow freshmen, one of them being Jeep! He was kind, quiet, and uncharacteristic of his reserved nature, he boldly complimented my two different colored eyes.

At the end of the semester Jeep asked me to his fraternity’s Christmas formal. I had heard excellent things about these formals, during which the basement of the fraternity houses were filled with packing peanuts to mimic piles of snow. I was elated! I quickly learned this event would actually involve a bus ride to Beale Street in Memphis - no styrofoam in sight. While Jeep and I had become acquainted over the past few months since we met, I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation during the hour and some drive to Memphis. I think I may have made a list of questions to pepper him with just in case. We ended up having the best time, and during our many topics of conversation we learned we had the same senior quote in our high school yearbooks. He was one of the funniest people I had ever met, a perfect gentleman, and so wholesome it made my heart burst.

Throughout college, we remained friends and socialized in similar circles. Senior year, Jeep came up in conversation among a group of girls in which we were remarking how kind, funny, and goodhearted he was. I vividly remember saying, “Whoever marries Jeep will be the luckiest girl in the world. I bet he will be just the best husband.” I meant this truly from a place of friendly admiration and had no idea I would be that girl. I can say with confidence I was right about that speculation, because I really am the luckiest!

In April 2024, two years after graduating college, I randomly remembered it was Jeep’s birthday and decided to send him a text. I thought maybe he would appreciate hearing from me, but I also heavily debated signing the text with my name in case he didn’t have my number anymore. I have no explanation for why I remembered it was his birthday and why I decided to send a message other than God’s design! We continued chatting back and forth, eventually coming up on the topic of Double Decker weekend, which I was conveniently planning to travel back to Oxford (where Jeep was still living at the time) for. I may or may not have meticulously crafted my texts to Jeep so he would be led to ask if I was coming, and hopefully foster a plan for us to run into each other at some point.

I am normally someone who updates my friends and family on every move I make, but I kept this sudden reconnection with Jeep very close to the vest. I had a feeling it was something special, to say the least. The day before I flew to Oxford for Double Decker, I texted my mom, “Do you remember Jeep? I’m sure you do. Anyways, his birthday was a few weeks ago and I randomly texted him happy birthday and now we have texted every day since and I think we are gonna get married one day.” I could have clued her in with something more subtle, but that is far from my style!

We ended up “running into each other” on Saturday afternoon at South Depot, where both of our friend groups often congregated during college and still do when we come to town. I invited Jeep to join me and my gaggle at our booth, and we spent the rest of the day and into the evening catching up about everything under the sun. The next day, Jeep asked if I would have time to go on a walk or get dinner. That afternoon we met up for a walk around campus, which ended up turning into a 4-hour long stroll and a trip to Yaya’s for frozen yogurt. We stayed in touch through long distance visits, FaceTime calls, writing letters, and have cherished every moment together that led us here!