OUR STORY

We began dating in high school. We don’t really have a “first date” because we didn’t really go on dates (we couldn’t drive) so mostly just hung out at each other’s houses. We did all of the normal high school things – prom, homecoming, football, and basketball games (him playing, me dancing). Surprisingly, we stayed together all through high school, and both decided to attend Southeast Missouri State University, Blake for the exceptional nursing program, and myself for an academic scholarship. Coming from a small town, we both knew how much people can change and grow when they go away to school. Instead of growing apart, we just grew while staying by each other’s side. We were involved in the same organizations and always had the same interests, but also had separate involvements which I think kept us sane and made the time we spent together more important. 

By the time we were a few years into college, we both knew that we wanted to spend our lives together. However, with me going to graduate school after, I wasn’t in a rush to get engaged and Blake didn’t have money for a ring (or so I thought). Blake completely surprised me with the proposal by driving all of the way down to Disney World while I was down there with a friend. It was exactly one week after he graduated with his nursing degree and he didn’t have a job yet, so I had no idea he’d had any plans of getting engaged so soon. He says he didn’t really have a choice, because I had told him when we began dating that either the proposal, wedding, or honeymoon had to be at Disney. He didn’t want to pay for a Disney wedding or go there for the honeymoon, so he made it happen for the engagement. 

After a long 2 year engagement, while I finished school, we’re so excited to finally get married and celebrate our wedding with all of our friends and family!