If first passed by him at Ole Miss in 2019. I asked him questions about the South, and then from then, I decided I would hate him. I glared at him all the time at school and I didn't even know his name. We were both in Engineering, but not in the same discipline so we'd see each other around but did not have any of the same classes. A few years later, I completely gave up on dating and met him at an engineering co-op. I saw the guy I hated walk in and my thoughts were "are you kidding me?!" His thoughts were "oh she's kinda cute." We ended up both going to a co-op (intern) party one night that I didn't want to go to, but he was hoping I'd be there. I tried scaring him off with the things that scared off other men, and that just checked off his boxes. He checked off my boxes, too. We were the last at that party, and I went to my car to let it warm up before leaving. I farted so loudly, and not one second later I saw him walking up to my car. I wanted to die. He asked me so respectfully if I were single and if I were interested in getting something to eat with him sometime. My car ended up breaking down the next morning, and the cost to repair it forced me to cancel my 2/11/23 Galentine's in Nashville. That was the day of our first date. We went to a Chinese buffet and watched Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. He asked me if I'd like to stop being single, to my surprise, and we've been together since.

Engagement: We started doing long distance since Christmas 2023, and it's been terrible to say the least. We would schedule flights to see each other, and it was difficult to leave. In June 2023, I took Haylon to all the touristy Seattle places. In July 2024, I took him to the mountains and water scenery of Washington. After a full weekend of going to beautiful places, he woke up early to talk to my parents about my hand in marriage. He works at Weyerhaeuser in his hometown, and the company actually originated in Washington. Weyerhaeuser's first building is now a coffee and whiskey bar, which is where we went to so I could introduce him to a friend. Apparently, my mom got in contact with my friend's mom to get my friend prepared to document this proposal. It was later in the day, and he wanted to take pictures outside because it was going to be pretty. He doesn't care for dressing up or pretty pictures, but he told me to dress up and I still thought nothing of it. He pointed away to a dock and said "are those your parents crabbing?" My parents go crabbing at this area, so I wouldn't have been surprised. I refused to turn around thinking "if they are watching us kissing right now, I do not want to look." He said "no look they're waving." I turned around trying to find them but I couldn't see, and then when I turn back around, he was on one knee with a black velvet box in hand. All I could see was a shiny rock in that black velvet box! I was stunned!

"FUCKING SHIT!" were the first two words I whispered because I had no idea he was proposing. My friend that I introduced him to captured the whole thing!

We had some Chinese food and then rushed him to the airport since that was his last day. It was a beautiful weekend of sightseeing, bonding, and love. I was literally at my best friend's wedding nine days prior getting my nails done, and even catching the bouquet! I was maid of honor, and I joked with Haylon to make my $80 nails worth it when he came to visit me. I had no idea that he was already planning to propose, and the whole visit was so beautiful.