I don't know where it leads, but I know it will be with you..

Towards the end of 2015 I received a call from my good friend Clay Cox who told me that we were going to Ski Week in Austria the following March. I had a work trip on the other side of the world in Mexico that month and told him there was no way I was going to be able to go. After weeks of comparing a work trip and tacos to partying in the Austrian Alps, I received another text. It read, “Jenny’s single friend Lauren is going, here is a picture.” A few days later my Delta itinerary read Puerto Vallarta --> Munich. After 24 hours of flights and a 3-hour drive, I arrived in Obertauern, Austria. Over the next several days I schemed up different ways for Lauren and me to find ourselves alone so we could get to know each other better. I took too long getting ready, asked her to wait behind, and then “accidentally” took the gondola to the side of the mountain opposite our friends so we could eat lunch together. Instead of the snowshoe "hike" to the bar at the top of the mountain, I convinced her and Jenny to take a cab straight to the bar giving us over an hour before anyone else would show up. On the last night of the trip I remember telling Clay, “I’ve only known Lauren for a week, but I know this is someone I could see myself marrying.” I fell in love with her from the start. She wore her enormous heart on her sleeve and understood me in ways I never thought another person could or would even want to. When we arrived at the airport, I switched our seats so they would be next to each other and knew I had 10 hours to convince her to stay a few extra days in Atlanta. Five minutes into the flight she was asleep, and when we landed, I drove her to her sister’s house where she declined to stay and drove back to Charleston. When she got home, she realized that when we were still in Germany, I had stuffed my shoes in her bag so even if she didn’t stay, she would have to see me again. Six months later, we were living together in Atlanta. -Christian

Staying at the Fairmont in Lake Louise, Canada has always been on our bucket list. Work had consumed us both in 2019 and toward the end of the year we began to explore options for a much-needed vacation. Over Christmas, Christian surprised me with some luggage and our itinerary for our upcoming stay in Canada! Christian also told me that he had the entire trip already planned out before we even left, which didn't surprise me at all. When we arrived, he told me that he had scheduled the early morning teatime that I really wanted to attend. He said we would need to wake up early and that it would be fun to dress up for the reservation. When that morning came we headed down to the café for breakfast and while we were having our coffee overlooking the Canadian Rockies.. it started to snow! Christian said, "let’s leave our coffees here and go check it out." So, we asked our waiter if we could leave our table and told him that we would be right back. We walked out in the middle of the frozen lake until it seemed like we were the only ones around, and then Christian stopped and grabbed my hand. He started to hug me and had tears in his eyes. Then, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was magical. All of a sudden, two photographers approached us to say congratulations and informed me that we were now headed to our engagement shoot. The thought and effort and planning behind this was unreal. Needless to say, we got back to our breakfast table a few hours later than expected, and the waiter was still holding our table with a smile. After breakfast we headed to our afternoon tea, this time as an engaged couple. God redirected my path and led me to this amazing man who has shown me a very certain love that has never wavered. I am grateful for God's timing and plans. -Lauren