On August 19, 2015, Alexis met the love of her life. It was her first day at Mizzou. A freshman who didn't know a soul, she stood at the Midnight Barbecue taking in the music, vendors, and unfamiliar faces when Christopher seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Beautiful smile, chocolate skin, and tall enough to overshadow everything around him, he immediately caught her attention. Her first thought was simple: This man is fine. Christopher handed her an Icebreaker flyer (iykyk) and invited her to the party. The next night, after crossing paths several times, he finally said, "Well, if you're only going to stand here all night, you might as well give me your number." It was cheesy. It worked. They began dating in February 2016. Their college years brought food hall dates, Black Hole laughter, and suspiciously frequent library visits while Christopher worked security. He supported Alexis as she crossed into Alpha Kappa Alpha in 2017, and shortly afterward, she proudly watched him graduate with his degree in Chemical Engineering. Graduation took Christopher to Louisiana while Alexis remained at Mizzou, and they made the difficult decision to separate. They just weren't very good at staying apart. For the next two years came regular flights, trips to Memphis and New Orleans, daily conversations, and pictures from the same places posted without tagging one another. They were not slick. When Alexis graduated in December 2019, Christopher claimed work would keep him away—only to secretly fly in and surprise her after she crossed the stage. Alexis wanted to try again, but Christopher worried the distance would keep him from giving her what she deserved. Heartbroken, they stopped speaking. Months later, they found their way back to one another. In October 2020, a trip to Houston to visit law schools became something much more important. Over breakfast, museums, the zoo, and hours beside the rooftop pool of Hotel Alessandra, they talked about what a life together could look like. They still left Houston uncertain. Less than a week later, Christopher asked Alexis to visit him in Dallas and give him the chance to show her he could be the man she deserved. There, Alexis saw not simply the man she'd fallen in love with at 18, but the man Christopher had worked to become: warm, kind, introspective, and willing to grow. On November 15, 2020, they chose each other again. Alexis moved to Houston in 2021, Christopher followed in 2022, and together they built a life filled with adventures, laughter, challenges, growth, and a whole lot of love. They have had the privilege of growing through nearly every phase of adulthood together. On December 20, 2024, Christopher got down on one knee. Alexis couldn't tell you a single thing he said. She only remembers the blood rushing in her ears and realizing the moment they'd spent nearly a decade finding their way toward was finally here. She said yes. The next morning, they learned Alexis's younger sister was critically ill. Their New York trip became a trip home to St. Louis, where they stayed until her sister awoke on December 30th. While carrying grief of his own after losing his friend Marlon, Christopher remained a source of strength, faith, and steadiness for Alexis and her family. In one of life's hardest moments, Alexis was given a crystal-clear glimpse of the husband Christopher would be. Their story has never been a straight line. It has crossed years, cities, distance, heartbreak, second chances, tremendous joy, and tremendous loss. Through it all, they have continued to find their way back to one another. Now, almost twelve years after a very tall stranger handed a freshman an Icebreaker flyer, they get to choose each other once more—this time, as husband and wife. Whatever life brings them next, they'll face it the way they've learned to face everything else: Together.