from jenna:
alex and i met in a bible study in college station. we became friends and hung out occasionally but sparks didn't exactly fly. we both dated other people, he moved to austin, i stayed in college station, then moved to houston. when i moved to austin in december of 2016, i reached out to a few old friends who i knew in my new city. as he says "i made the move". i wasn't really looking for a relationship but was happy to have a friend. he invited me to his bible study (aren't we holy always in bible studies?), we hung out, we became even better friends. i was drawn to his humor, his jawline, and his honesty so when he asked me out that march, i hated to say no but i wasn't ready. regardless, a seed had been planted.

over the following months, alex and i continued to hang out in the same circles and i found it harder and harder not to consider the possibility of dating him. i had no clue if he would even still be interested. one time while we were at the lake with friends, i realized the feeling that came over me when i thought he might be injured was worry, the pang in my chest when i saw him flirting with someone else was jealousy, and the warmth i felt when he was near was affection. i was done for. he asked me out a short time later with some nudging from our mutual friend doing reconnaissance for us both (holla, ashley) and i said yes.

i'd love to say, "and the rest was history!" but it simply wouldn't be true. throughout our relationship, we have brought in our own baggage, our own ways of doing things, and our pride which didn't always make for the smoothest ride. yet, through it all, i have seen a deep integrity and dedication to the lord in alex that i admire so much.

i always thought that it would be ideal to marry someone that was just like me but, like... the guy version. i also knew the likelihood of that was low so i had all but buried the hope. in alex, i found what i was looking for. we love 98.5% of the same things, we laugh, we adventure. we crave so many of the same things out of life. god has used him to make me better, to see myself clearly and to know my deep worth in god and to him. i can't wait to marry him and be bff. WE BOUT TO BE MARRIED.


from alex:
When I first started walking with the Lord, I got plugged into a bible study. That is where I met Jenna for the first time. We became good friends. I always had fun when I would hang with her. I eventually moved to Austin when I graduated so I didn't talk to Jenna over the next few years.

When Jenna moved to Austin January 2017, she reached out to me to hang out. She would say she reached out because she was wanting to get plugged into a church and community; I say she was making the first move ;). Jenna and I started to hang out regularly from there. As I got to know her, I realized how great of a heart she had. She is one of the most genuine and caring people I have ever met. She was so selfless and loved others so well. The moment I knew I had to marry this girl was when she came with me to a ministry I was wanting to get involved in. This ministry is focused on people who the world would say are the worst of the worst. These people could not have been any more different and any more opposite than Jenna and her background. Yet, she loved them, was so kind to them, and made them feel cared for without passing an ounce of judgement on how dark these people's pasts may have been at one point. I was blown away when I realized how much Jenna's heart truly reflected the Gospel.

I asked Jenna out in March but she said the timing was not right. I was still not going to let her go so I played the long game. It finally worked! I asked Jenna out again in July and she said yes :)

Since then, I have grown to love Jenna more and more every day. She is one of the most kind, gracious, and forgiving people I have met. I have truly become a better man since I have been with Jenna. She constantly challenges me, encourages me, and supports me in more ways than I can say. I cannot wait to do life with her.