Love, laughter, and happily ever after!

This was our fourth time seeing each other over a span of a few years, but this time was different. We knew of each other, and we would say "hi" and have a quick chat or glance, whenever our paths would cross. There was never anything beyond that, until one night when our lives brought us to the same place at the same time and we connected. Darryl said, "I have been looking for you,"... and that statement stopped Jenille in her tracks; she thought to herself "what does he mean?" That night we reconnected, and never looked back; the date was March 3rd, 2008. We both had ended other relationships recently, decided that we would each be single, and went out with friends just to have fun. We connected across the bar with a glance. We were inseparable for the rest of the night. Neither of us had danced with anyone else as well as we did with each other, and it was foreshadowing of what the future held. We talked for a few hours that night, and exchanged numbers. We promised to connect at a later time, when Jenille made it back to North Carolina. When Jenille moved back to Chicago, we could go on our "first" date.

This was such a special Christmas. Christmas is one of our favorite holidays; it always feels magical. Well, Christmas 2019 was special because we were gathering at Crystal (Jenille's sister) and Chris’ (her husband) house for the first time. It was also special because this year Rosemary (Darryl's mother) was celebrating with us. After family Christmas gifts, Jenille was putting away her camera. Darryl was kneeling down behind her, but Jenille thought he was just tying his shoe. She felt a little tap on her calf because she was still messing with her camera bag, and was oblivious that the moment she had been waiting for was getting ready to happen. Darryl was on one knee with the ring box open - it felt like an out of body experience in a magical way. God had brought them together. She asked, “What are you doing?” He said, “ I love you very much. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?” She squealed "YES" and jumped into his arms! Jenille cried, we kissed, and everyone was sooo excited! The ring was beautiful, and he proposed in such a loving way. Our moms, and some of the most important people in our lives were there. He had been planning this for a while. He had called and texted both of our best friend’s when he bought the ring; he told them that he planned to propose on New Year’s Eve. That afternoon, he spoke to Jenille's mom about it, and felt like God said do it today! Now, we get to spend forever together; our timing aligned with God’s promises. We can’t wait to say we do! One of the best parts was that our families were there. It made the moment truly unforgettable. It’s so special to be able to share these moments with the people that love us most.