Many people have been asking me how Lee proposed. I figured I may as well start from the beginning because to some it may seem a little crazy, but to quote one of my favorite songs, “I know I’m still young, but I know how I feel. I may not have too much experience, but I know when love is real.”

I was starting my senior year at Geneva College. These were supposed to be the best times ever; the last two semesters, graduation, and moving into the great unknown. Well, something, rather someone was missing from that equation. In spite of all the excitement, I was missing the person who God wanted me to be with.

After the first week of school, I decided to join ChristianMingle. This was around September 1, 2013 (I believe Lee joined the site a couple of days later). I think I can speak for both Lee and I when I say we had both been through a lot in the “love department.” I had only been online for a couple of days when Lee came up as a suggested match. In fact, we were a 100% match. In the first couple days, I completely avoided anyone who did not have a picture up. Why, you may ask? You have no idea who it is and in my opinion, that was not a good idea. Well, for whatever reason, this profile stood out to me and I ignored that theory. I “smiled” at him on the site, and I soon found myself asking him to upload a picture. Wow! I couldn’t believe it; a Christian site with a very handsome guy in uniform! I was hoping he was an officer and a gentleman (I now know for sure he is)! We talked for a couple of days on the site, sending messages back and forth, before he asked for my number. We talked for a couple of days before he told me that he wanted to meet in person. That was a reality check! We had a “Skype date” and after that, I decided it was time to meet.  

I only told one person to start; my friend, Corinne (aka my now maid-of-honor). I told her my plans for the day and asked her to stay near her phone because I wanted to be safe. It was the most amazing day. He brought me roses and I was in shock! Next, we went to Buttermilk Falls in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. I had never been there before and it was amazing. After being there for a bit, I called Corinne and gave her my Facebook account information. I asked her to log-in and change my relationship status as I now had a boyfriend! The rest of that day consisted of going to Eat ‘n Park, Brush Creek (to hike), starting to watch the movie “Safe Haven,” and going to the first home football game at Geneva. That was September 7, 2013, a day which is still one of my most favorite days. We both were so confident in our new relationship that we both deleted our ChristianMingle profiles that day!

About one week after we began dating, I began my placement for my elementary education block (I am currently student teaching and in May I will have a degree in Elementary and Special Education). On my first day with second graders, I got the flu. We’re talking a fever that I could not break and body aches. As I mentioned, this was not long after we started dating. Lee and I were texting and he didn’t respond for a long time. I started panicking because I thought he was going to break up with me, but a half hour into my panic, I received a text from Lee to come outside my building.  He had come over to take care of me! I’m pretty sure it was in those moments of him seeing a sweaty, gross, sick version of me that I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

Fast forward through dates of hiking, movies, football games, my birthday, a car accident, taking pictures together on campus, spending amazing weekends at both of our houses, watching the entire series of Freaks and Geeks (and starting Smallville), going to each other’s churches, writing letters to each other, doing devotions together, Skype dates, experiencing my first fire call, sharing our first Christmas, New Years, and Valentine’s Day together; to Friday, February 21, 2014, the day we got engaged!

As I mentioned, I’m in the midst of my student teaching. We had been asked to chaperone two high school students from my church, while they were on campus attending a concert. We jumped at the opportunity. I left school a little early to surprise Lee. I decided when I got there to leave my coat in my car so I did not have to deal with it during the concert. On the way to the concert, his mom called and he said, “Not yet.” When I asked him what they were talking about, he said she was asking about if the concert had started. I was a little suspicious, but did not read into it too much. As we waited outside for the concert to start, it had gotten cold. Lee is always willing to give up his coat, but he didn’t offer it to me as I stood there shivering. I thought it was a bit strange, but he gets cold too, so didn’t think too much about it. Eventually, he lent me his coat, and I felt something in it. I asked him what it was and he told me that it was nothing.

We listened to the Christian rapper, Humble Tip, and Lybecker’s set. Then, Lee asked if I wanted to go look at merchandise. I really didn’t want to go because I didn’t want to spend money and I told him that, but he wanted to go and look around. As we walked around the merchandise tables, Lee suggested that we should go outside because it had gotten hot. The next thing I knew, he was down on one knee, asking me to marry him! Of course, I said yes! The next few minutes were a blur. I called both of our parents and all the while, the man from K-Love was taking our picture for the K-Love Pittsburgh Instagram; while I’m fighting off tears. It was so cool and so exciting!

I’m so thankful that God led me to an amazing, godly man. I’m thankful for him every day. I ask that you would pray for us in this time of excitement. We are getting married on July 19, 2014.

Our advice is to be brave! We were both very apprehensive to join a dating site, but it made sense to us to join ChristianMingle. There really is no place to meet people, especially a good, deep-rooted Christian. We suggest doing devotions as often as you can and pray for and with each other. I believe the reason our relationship works so well is because we have such a strong foundation in Christ.