Their love story: Oh, where do I begin? Clint is my absolute best friend and our relationship dates all the way back to middle school! The first time I really noticed him was in 8th grade. We were sitting in our math class taking notes when I suddenly realized I had transferred from sitting in my chair to sitting on the floor--he had pulled my chair out from under me and I was furious! That's just Clint, he's always up to something but I love that about him and he always finds ways to surprise me. Our friendship developed over the next two years and we became very close. We were crowned homecoming Count and Countess in 9th grade and I would say that was the point we really started to see each other as more than friends. We realized in 10th grade that we wouldn't be happy until we were a couple. Clint had just got his license and explained that he wanted to take me out for dinner. After asking my parents and getting their permission, of course, I agreed to go to dinner with him. When he pulled in the driveway, on May 12, 2006, I was so excited and I definitely had the "butterflies" going. We were already so close but this was different, we were actually going on a date! I sat down in his truck and noticed a small rose sticking out of the glove compartment. I immediately grabbed the rose, without opening the compartment, and thanked him for the sweet gesture. He rolled his eyes and laughed and said, "You were supposed to open it..." When I did there was a small note inside that said "Let's make it official." I was so happy!! I knew I would marry Clint. I knew he was the love of my life but more than that, he was truly my best friend and always has been. How lucky are we to be able to say that? We grew up in the same town and all of our family is close by. Clint grew up on a family farm and he is so passionate about being outdoors and helping his dad take care of things on the farm. I grew up across from my family farm so we definitely have similar backgrounds! A lot of our family already knew each other which made it feel so much easier to transition to a couple because we had them in our corner. I don't know where we would be without our families. Clint's family immediately took me in as if I was their own and mine did the same for him. They have loved and supported us through everything. We have now been together for a little over 7 and a half years. We have shared our ups and downs like any couple because we honestly grew up together which meant maturing together. Through it all, we stood by each others side. We balance each other out. We ground each other when we're too excited. We lift each other up when we're down. He inspires me to constantly try to be a better person and I hope I do the same for him. The list could go on and on! We were crowned homecoming King and Queen our senior year and graduated soon after. From there we attended community college together and eventually traveled away from home to attend UNC Charlotte and pursue our dream careers. Clint graduated with his mechanical engineering degree last May and I will graduate with my nursing degree in a short 9 days! We have went on so many amazing trips and made memories with friends and family that will last a life time. There isn't enough time in the day to tell our whole love story but I wish I could because it has been more than I ever dreamed of. We have carried each other through some of the worst times but we've also been there to share some of the best. My life has been so different because God gave me this special gift.
The proposal: "One very special trip I must mention was our first trip to Snowshoe, WV. We both LOVE the snow and what better place to go than Snowshoe? We went with several friends and we left shortly after Christmas for the vacation. Someone had asked me if I thought it might happen on this trip because, let's be honest, I was getting a little anxious at this point after being together for 6 years! I really didn't think it would happen that far away from home so boy was I surprised when we arrived our very first day, January 2, 2012, and he popped the question! We had just unpacked our things, it was freezing outside and pouring snow. We were all so excited to see snow falling from the sky like that and knew we had to get on the slopes ASAP. Looking back, I could tell Clint was all in a tizzy but I didn't know why. He kept forgetting things and walking around in a panic and I'm just standing there thinking geez, calm down! We walked out on the mountain and I sat down to put on my snowboard. When I looked up he was down on one knee and I immediately covered my mouth and became teary eyed and I do believe my first question was, "are you serious?!" When I looked down at the open box and ring I was the happiest girl in the world. I honestly can't tell you exactly what he said because I really don't remember. I just know he asked me to marry him and I said YES! One of my closest friends was there to take pictures. My favorite picture is us kissing because we were so caught up in the moment we still had our ski masks on and didn't even realize it! He put the ring on my finger and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. He designed the ring himself and it was exactly what I would have picked out! We were both very emotional and it was the best moment of my life. Everyone else was shocked too because he didn't tell anyone he was going to ask! We tried to start making our way down the mountain and after everyone else had gone on we plopped down on the side of the slope and just took it all in. He talked to me about asking my dad's permission because he knows how important that is to me. He talked to me about the ring and how terrified he was when he went shopping! (He actually left the first time he went to a jewelry store haha) And he talked to me about how lucky we were to be able to spend the rest of our lives together. The trip was amazing because it started out amazing. He were so excited to share the news with our family and friends once we returned home. We have had a long engagement, which I wouldn't change because it's been so relaxing and enjoyable, and we wanted to wait until we were both finished with school. Now, we will get married on May 24, 2014 and finally become husband and wife! We can't wait!"
Photographer: Caroline Lima Photography
