Jarrett and I first met at Mountain Christian Church in 2015. Over the next five years, we saw each other occasionally when I would go visit my mom at her job at the church. He worked there too, so I would always see him in his jeans and a flannel heading off to go fix something in the building. I always knew that he had a little crush on me, but we never talked other than a few awkward conversations over the years. In December of 2020, I was home for Christmas break and was talking to my mom about potential people that I could go out with. She mentioned Jarrett, who I hadn't seen in over a year, and I was interested in the idea because "he's a country guy and makes knives, which is cool". However, I didn't reach out to him because I was about to head back to Kentucky for two more years of school and didn't want to do long distance again. Just a couple of weeks later, I got a message from Jarrett asking how I've been and if I wanted to hang out sometime. I was on vacation that week, and my family can tell you that I spent the entire week talking about how nervous I was and wondering what would happen. To say I was shocked is an understatement! We went on our first date in January 2021 (I was relieved to see that he had cut his hair!) and it immediately felt right for both of us. It is amazing to see how God brought us together and the journeys that we each took on our way to find each other.

I knew that I wanted to propose to Sarah and that she and I were ready to take that next step together. I had a trip planned to go visit Sarah at school for her birthday weekend, and I thought that would be the best time to do it. She was on her way to pick me up at the Louisville airport, and I called her when I landed and told her not to come to the airport, but instead to meet me at a hiking trail nearby. We met there and hiked to a waterfall where I had made a heart of roses, and then I proposed. We spent the rest of the weekend together celebrating her birthday and our engagement, and we went to her junior/senior formal dance where the DJ had us do our own “first dance”. It was a special weekend with lots of time together and sharing the news with family and friends.

Jarrett will continue his career at Medifast, a health and wellness company, in Havre de Grace, MD in the maintenance and facilities department. Jarrett will also continue to expand his knife making business, Fire Beard Forge. I am studying at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY this fall for my last semester before I graduate this December. I will continue working at WynOaks Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding farm in Delta, PA, after I graduate and will move in to a house at the farm in January. Jarrett will join me in May - we are so excited to both be in the same area together and start our life together!