Chase and I met in the summer of 2010 on a mission trip to Puerto Rico after our freshman year of high school. While trying to sort into groups to tackle some chores around the church, I volunteered to rake leaves and after doing so, Chase promptly raised his hand to volunteer as well. I would find out later this was done in an effort to get to know me, which I could hardly believe because I thought he was too cute to pay any attention to a girl like me! I finally got up the courage to introduce myself and broke the ice by asking if he knew Shannon Morris (a girl who I had known in middle school) – turns out Shannon was his sister! After talking for a while, we realized we had a ton of mutual connections and had also gone to school with each other for a few years. How weird that we had never crossed paths – later on I would realize that God’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect! We continued our friendship after the mission trip ended and that friendship grew into something more in April 2012.

Chase proposed on December 8th, 2017. We went up to our friend’s farm in Pulaski, Tennessee to what I thought was a birthday party for one of our other friends. The birthday girl wanted to take photos and we went out behind the farm house where it overlooked a beautiful 40-acre valley. They asked me if I wanted to get a few photos of me and Chase and when I said yes, they told me to find a spot to stand. I turned my back to find a spot and once I turned around, Chase was on one knee with our friends videoing and snapping pictures! I was so surprised!!! After I said yes (duh, of course, heck yeah, etc.), I realized how much effort Chase had put into the proposal. He had driven the two hours to Pulaski earlier that morning to drop off the ring and what was needed to prepare a steak dinner for us and our friends! He grillled the steaks, we ate, and I gawked at the ring the entire night!

We went out for sushi at the Scene Lounge at Bridge Street. Chase had never had sushi before and I was bound and determined to have him love it. It’s his favorite food now. We then went to see “The Vow” at the dollar movie theater.

Honestly, there wasn’t a specific moment where I knew. I just remember there was a point in our relationship where I realized I would never get bored of a life with Chase. I could see myself raising a family with him and growing old with him. Chase checked all the life partner boxes – some I didn’t even know were required to be my other half. It was seriously like we were tailored-made for one another and a life spent without him was a life I saw as less fun and less full.

And after answering all these questions, having to wait to marry him until January is almost unbearable! Lol so I’ll stop there. 🙂

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