When I think back to when Abby and I first met, I feel that the word “merging” seems to fit better than “meeting”. We both went to school in Manhattan, and we had overlapping friend groups and church circles that slowly drew us together. I do have one specific moment I can point to when I feel that I first thoughtfully noticed her: my good friend Nate asked if I could help out running sound at a YoungLife meeting one Wednesday night, and up on the front stage sat a beautiful and radiant girl I found very cute. I asked Nate her name, and it was Abby Swafford. After that night I'm not sure there were any specific “becoming friends” moments. We simply and suddenly became friends as our circles became more intertwined. I, as most did, quickly developed an affinity for Abby; she was spontaneous, exciting, charismatic, and gorgeous. As you can probably guess, that affinity also quickly developed into a crush; one that I carried to the week of graduation, and still do today. We hung out in groups, watched football games, made small talk on occasion; but at this time in my life, I had resolved to not date anyone for the rest of my college career, even telling several people that “my wife is certainly not in Manhattan”. But she was actually much closer than that. On a brisk evening in May, just after Abby’s graduation, we made plans to go out and meet some friends. Fortunately, once Abby had picked me up, we found that everyone else was busy. We sat down at a few different bars and visited with friends we'd see, but as the night went on, the conversation loosened up and flowed freely; and we became less preoccupied with our shared search for mutuals who could ease the pressure of the first “one-on-one hangout”. The magic of the night swept us up and brought us to a place I’d call unorthodox but endearing. This of course was the roof of my college house, overlooking my college backyard, where my college roommates walked circles in our inflatable kiddie pool; at this point holding water with a shade of green that left me with respect at my roommates' continual yearning for the “night swim”. We sat up there and talked for hours about all sorts of things; our fears, dreams, and plans after college (about to be given quite the shake-up). That night holds a very warm place in my mind. In the coming weeks, after a few “do we like each other?” hangouts, “should I kiss her?” sunrise viewings - I asked Abby to be my girlfriend and we decided that we'd take a step of faith together and continue dating long distance after I moved to Bentonville and Abby to Austin. Those were tremendously sad and exciting days, I still root for our younger selves from afar and I'm thankful for their bravery. On November 11th, 2023 Abby and I were engaged and surrounded by friends, flowers, family, and lots of overwhelmingly supportive cheer. It is a somewhat daunting task to sit here with my pen and stuffy nose and attempt to express the essentialness of God's spirit in all of this. Since its beginning, our relationship has asked vulnerability of us. We've been confronted by the capacity for hurt that closeness brings. The journey we are on, of becoming One as we make a covenant with God, has been beautiful but not always easy. Thanks be to God, we have also discovered that slow, delicate healing power that can only be found in those special places that hold such great capacity for hurt. We have committed ourselves to God's care and kept Him at the center, and time after time He has been faithful. I feel great gratitude every day — God has continued to draw near and we are learning to turn and face Him. I am thankful for Abby, I am thankful for you, I am thankful to have seen God's grace closer in a love like this than I ever have before. — Carson Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Many waters cannot quench love, neither floods can drown it. Song of Songs 8:6–7