We graduated from Conway High School together in 2010, but never actually spoke to each other at the time. Fast forward 12 years and one dating app later, our profiles matched and we had our first date at Hill Station on January 21, 2022 (which also happens to be my grandparents' wedding anniversary)! We were comfortable together from the start, and we quickly realized that this was the real thing. My dogs, Sookie and Baloo, warmed up to Ethan abnormally fast, which also helped seal the deal! Over the next few months, we went spent lots of time together at the gym, the Fountain and with each others families. It was clear from the beginning that we were meant to be together, and as the old saying goes...when you know, you know.

For my birthday in April, Ethan booked us a cute Air BNB in Eureka Springs. His grandfather was an architect and studied under E. Fay Jones, who built Thorncrown Chapel. It's a beautiful chapel in the woods, and it also happens to be where Ethan's parents got married in 1986. As we were walking up, I noticed a photographer there with her kid, and even said something like "I bet she's getting some awesome pictures!" We sat inside the chapel and learned of its history, or at least I did. The way Ethan tells this story, his mind was racing so fast that he didn't hear a word of the brochure that I read! He asked if I was ready to leave, and then wanted to take one last picture with the chapel behind us on our way out. As I'm studying the selfie to make sure it was acceptable (ladies, you understand), Ethan reached to grab my hands, got down on one knee, asked me to marry him and, well, you know the rest! It wasn't until I heard the rapid clicking that I realized the photographer I'd seen earlier was there for us!