James and I matched on Hinge on January 15th, 2023 and went on our first date January 24th! He took me to Bottega Cafe and ordered a bottle of Sancerre (because I previously mentioned it was my favorite). That’s when I knew a second date was definitely in store 😉

After our 3rd date, James started going to church with me every Sunday and eventually became a member. Now, we try to go every week at the 4 PM service and then go to our favorite Mexican restaurant afterwards as a part of our Sunday routine.

We have traveled to NYC to visit friends; we saw Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Nashville—James’ 5th TS concert; we visited my Nana and family in Minnesota; we cheered on The Tide at multiple games in Tuscaloosa; and we have visited my family in Memphis when our schedules allow. These trips really opened my eyes to see the over abundance of patience James has, something I have always prayed for.

On May 10th, 2024, James surprised me with a birthday getaway trip to Destin, FL. The night we got there, he told me I had 45 minutes to get ready and to wear my nicest outfit from a packing list he gave me. We drove to Watercolor and went on a walk and he asked me to marry him and I said YES! Later that night, James and I celebrated with the same bottle of wine we had on our first date.