On June 21, 2019 I heard the name Matt Tollison for the first time, as he did not make it to our friend’s rehersal dinner. On June 22, I saw Matthew Tollison for the first time as he arrived about 2 hours earlier than any if the ither groomsmen on the wedding day. We were both in the bridal parties of our friends Billy and Madison Lee. I was not friends with any of the bridesmaids besides the bride and Matt didn’t kniw anyone besides Billy. I remember before the ceremony a few girls and I walked downstairs to see everything and take pictures with the Bride, Matt was down there and I remember thinking, “Eh he’s not that cute and he seems a little full of himself. There goes my chance of meeting someone at this wedding.” After the ceremony and pictures the bridal party went back to the bridal suite to eat and Matt ended up sitting next to me. He is a very big people person so we casually started a conversation. I was wearing cowboy boots, like all the bridesmaids had, and Matt had made a comment about it and I had mentioned that I rodeoed in High School and he started calling me Cowgirl. I wasn’t a huge fan. Since we didn’t really know anyone else we ended up talking and hanging out for the rest of wedding. I did noticed he had the most incredible blue eyes. He also started talking about church, Jesus, and working with kids that did spark an intrest. Once we sent the bride and groom off, we all pitched in to clean up. While most of the other girls went upstairs to clean the bridal suite I stayed downstairs and helped move and fold the chairs. When we were done I went upsatirs and Matt came up in time to say goodbye and ask for my number. It was my last night in my college house in Anderson. I was litterally going to Highlands, NC the next day to have a family vaction before we moved me out if my house the following week. I did give him my number but didn’t see how it would become anything at all with me moving home to Florida the next week and him living in Charlotte.

Well once he had my number....nothing happned, for about 24 hours. He finally texted me after I had secretly been hoping he would for what seemed like forever. We chatted a bit here and there and made plans to go on a date the day before my family came to move me out of my Anderson house. I drove back from NC for a night and stayed with some friends and we went to Texas Roadhouse, which was a goid call becaue I love a good steak! We had a nice dinner and good conversation, Matt can ask the best questions. After dinner I had time before I was meeting my friend and was hoping he would want to do something else but he said he had to get back to his sister’s house to help with her cows. He offered for me to come with him but I thought, “meeting his family already! And I basically just invited myself! I barely know him yet!”, so I declined. We left the resturant and I called my friend Olivia. I told her how it went and I wanted to hang out longer but I told her my dilema. She said to go for it and I decided I would regret not getting the chance to know Matt a little better while I could. So we hung up and I called Matt. I told him I changed my mind and I wanted to come if the offer was still open. I turned my car around and headed to meet up with him! We met back up and we went and got ice cream instead. If you know me you know I can throw down some ice cream, but Matt has me beat! He ate it so fast as we walked and ate. We ended the night with inviting him to Newspring, my church, and he said he would try to make it. I went back to Olivia’s and told her everything! The next morning I met another friend for church and Matt showed up! After service he had a lot on his mind quickly said goodbye but I was very intreguied by Matthew Tollison at this point.

From that point on I wanted to get to know Matt. I didn’t know if anything would come from it or if we would ever be more than friends but I had seen peices of his heart and it was golden. His love for Jesus and others was so evidiant and I wanted to know more. Over the end of the summer I went back to Anderson and NC for some other trips and we went on another date and he threw me out of the water when he came to meet my whole family at our cabin. It was my Granny’s 90th birthday and I casually mentioned that he could come see me while I was in Highlands and he took me up on the offer! My entire extended family was there and we still had only gone on 2 dates at this point. He made a 5 hour round trip drive to see me for the day and my cousins like to joke because he got there at 8am ready for breakfast. He was all in and even asked me if we could start dating offically while he was there but as much as I was in on wanting to know him, I was not all in on dating him yet. I told him maybe soon but not yet. I went back to Flordia and we continued to talk over facetime and the phone. Then one day i mentioned he should come to FL since I had traveled up there for the ither dates. I woke up the next morning to a text that said, “I bought plane tickets and I will be there in 2 weeks in this weekend.” I was shocked. This boy not only put in drive time but now he was puttinf in air time just to spend a little in person time with me. He came and we went jet skiing in the ocean and had a great weekend...I still told him to wait on me being his girlfriend though. The next time I saw him I drove up to SC to see my friends and him, and after another great weekend togther I finally caved and said he could be my boyfriend. So long distance dating began...or better put, continued. We would fly back and forth to each other about once or twice a month. The thoughts I had about him at the wedding vanished and I was excited about my handsome, kind boyfriend.

My favorite place is Highlands, NC and my parents were engaged on a big rock in the middle of a river, and I have heard this story since I was little. I told all my friends that I wanted to get engaged at the same place and they all laughed because how would it be a surprise if I had everything planned out. Matt had been discussing and planning with my friend and they had the best day planned! I was planning a trip to the mountains with my college friends and of course Matt. We planned on going skiing at Beech Mountain but as I was getting on the plane to head to SC, I saw the news that there had been a snow storm and we could not get to the cabin. Behind the scene, Matt had been talking to my dad to see if we could go to my family cabin in Highlands. We changed plans and decided to go to Highlands. My friends and I headed there and Matt told me he was going to a work trip and wold meet up with us the following morning. Little did I know that he was only a few miles away staying with our friends and plotting the engagement for the next morning. I woke up Saturday morning and made breakfast for my friends and 2 of them informed me that they had found a place they wanted to go but would not tell me where. They rushed me out of the house and we headed out. I soon realized we were headed to the iron bridge which is right over the river and the rock that my parents were engaged on. I was trying not to get too excited in case this was not what I was thinking it was. I looked around and did not see Matt's car. Then I saw him walking across the bridge where he took my hands, then told me the reasons he loves me and proposed! I of course said yes! It was a cold morning so we went uptown Highlands to celebrate with some coffee and tea. After a great morning with my friends and new Fiance. We headed back to dinner with Matt's parents....where a surprise engagement party awaited! My parents had even driven up to SC to join the celebration! It was the best day!