We’re getting married! (It’s about time)

Charles and Brittany met through friends while playing on their Xbox 360’s. After hours of playing, Brittany trying to beat Charles in Call Of Duty Black Ops II, they would both argue about who won and who lost. Charles APPARENTLY decided he was intrigued and Brittany wasn’t one to give up… especially in a video game. At the young age of 16, Brittany didn’t pick up on the fact that Charles liked her until he asked her out… over text! Brittany was super shy, so it took a few times of Charles relentlessly asking her out. Brittany didn’t know how her parents would feel but she took a leap. Charles met Brittany in person for the first time at her Christmas band concert. The whole ordeal made her very nervous but she was excited to show him her talent. Shortly after, Charles met her parents for the first time one night when he was in Lafayette for whatever reason. He showed up, Brittany’s parents were confused and it was… awkward? But sweet! First time they hung out, Brittany and Charles sat quietly on opposite sides of the room but eventually throughout time, became comfortable with each other enough to at least sit 6 feet apart. Between the ages of 16 and 18, the two dated. Fell in love, went to prom together, their first kiss together and enjoyed each other’s presence. They hardly were ever apart besides the fact they lived 45 minutes away from each other. One of the earliest memories of Charles was when Brittany’s mother was dropping her off in Fowler for Charlie’s Eagle Scout Award Ceremony and he showed up with bright pink hair! She was so proud but he definitely started bringing her out of her comfort zone. When Brittany turned 18, she realized that she was going to join the Marine Corps and unfortunately, the two spilt off when she left. It was a difficult and heartbreaking decision. Charles joined the Army Reserve shortly after and the two didn’t speak for years. In 2021, Brittany was finishing her time in the Marine Corps in San Diego, California, while Charles was on a year long deployment in Kuwait and Bagram (Afghanistan). During this time, Brittany reached out to the last person she would ever ask for help from. Charles answered and helped without hesitation, no questions asked. The two started talking a little bit more than usual and slowly became aquatinted again. Once Brittany was out of the Marine Corps and Charles was back home, the two realized they were both in town and decided to meet up in the middle of the night at Boswell’s fairgrounds. They both started catching up and eventually, Charles found the courage to ask Brittany out again. Knowing that they both have matured a lot from the age of 18, they both took the leap again and at ages of 24, they got back together. Brittany moved in with Charles in September 2023 to take a “test run” to see how they both would be able to fit in together and receive better opportunities to get to know each other again. Though there are many differences, they both were able to click back together and fall in love. It wasn’t a surprise to many that they both got back together but to them, it was. If you love something so much, you let it go. If it comes back to you, it’s meant to be. “To be together now, knowing we are on our way to get married, something that was visioned so many years ago, it is a dream come true. Something about this, God puts people in your life for a reason. Maybe we were suppose to meet at 16 and our love was not ready for what we both had to endure. So God brought us back together now that we are older and wiser. I always wondered if “soul mates” were a thing. This doesn’t happen to everyone but I’m glad it happened to me.” -Brittany