Knowing a person is like music. What attracts us to them is their melody and as we get to know who they are, we learn their lyrics. We've known each other for some years. We belong to the same church organization and because of it, there were plenty of times our paths crossed. Esdras is a musician and I was the worship team leader so we'd see each other at rehearsals and a few events, but that was pretty much it. Time went by and are now youth leaders in our district church organization and started to see more of each other and with it came more interaction. From here a great friendship began to form as we quickly realized there was so much we shared in common, but it wasn't until the summer of 2019 that we really got to know one another. While coming up with ideas and songs for the youth camp worship program, we agreed to have our first phone call and the conversations from there on never stopped. There was an instant connection and it was surrounded by what we love to do most; serve and worship. Eventually, there was no denying that there was something else, something more. An attraction that led us both to want to know more. By the end of that September, Esdras confessed his feelings and naturally, I did the same. Our first date was at six flags on September 28, 2019, and from that first date, we just knew what we felt was something worth pursuing. We started off liking each other's melody but ended up loving the lyrics.

A little over a year went by and life no longer made sense unless it was living life together forever, thus why we decided that we wanted to take that next step. We were ready. Our love was strong enough to overcome anything life threw at us and with God on our side, what more did we need? My favorite time of the year was approaching and I had started to plan all the Christmas traditions and activities I loved all while subtly trying to figure out when Esdras planned on proposing. He was hinting about it for some time, but I just couldn't figure out when! As I talked to my closest friends about it, I joked around saying that I would be ready at all times (yes, I know I was being extra). Within that time, one of my best friends asks me to go with her and her family to a Christmas tree farm to help them pick out their family tree. Of course, I said yes! I love the outdoors and Christmas, plus, I would have the chance to spread some of my holiday cheer and "expertise". The day we planned arrived and everything just seemed to go wrong that day. Esdras was supposed to go, but then got stuck at the mechanic and wasn't going to be able to make the drive up. He was very dismissive which isn't like him at all and kept doing things that he knew would bother me. Then my best friend tells me instead of the whole family going it was just her and her oldest son now and long story short, everything I had in mind just seemed to not go as planned. We finally arrived and immediately I was drawn to the cute farm covered in the freshly fallen snow and Christmas decor. I started heading down the little path when the sweetest song started playing and at that very moment, I saw Esdras. He walked towards me and at that exact moment I came to the realization "This is happening!" I then see him take a blanket off a sign off a tree that reads "Merry Me". My closest family and friends then show up from behind the trees and to sum up the sweet story, I said YES!