In middle school my family and I moved from Sunset to Saginaw, Texas. Little did I know, we moved blocks away from the love of my life. Brinley and I probably passed each other dozens of times without realizing that our forever was just around the corner.

It wasn’t until we both ended up at Tarleton State University that our paths finally crossed. We met through a college ministry called Paradigm, on an 18-hour bus ride from Stephenville to Phoenix for a spring break mission trip. That long bus ride sparked a friendship that lasted two years before either of us realized there was something more.

One evening, after hyping myself up in the truck for a good 30 minutes, I finally walked up to her door with a bouquet of flowers and asked her on our first date — and that was the beginning of it all.

Our first date, we sat on the tailgate of my truck, ate pizza, and watched the Stephenville sunset. Her roommates had given me a strict curfew, and while we technically made it back on time… it was just to grab a jacket before the date continued. We ended the night stargazing and then grabbing ice cream at Whataburger— that’s when I knew she was the one.

From there, our relationship grew through intentional conversations about faith, our futures, and our outlook on life. There were also a lot of adventures — rock climbing, paddle boarding, hiking — basically, if it was outside or on the water, we were in.

So, when it came time to propose, the beach felt like the perfect place. After months of planning and a two-day road trip (with my heart rate averaging 100 bpm the whole way), Brinley was completely clueless. On August 17, 2024, surrounded by her family and some of our closest friends (hiding inconspicuously in the nearby bushes), I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. She said YES!

Now, we’re counting down the days until I get to call her my wife — and our forever adventure begins, underneath the oak tree.