Noelle's side of the Story:

We met on the very first day of college – a day filled with nerves and excitement for both of us. It was in the midst of that chaos that I first laid eyes on Ethan. He was cute, outgoing, and had this energy that was impossible to miss. I could tell right away that he was someone special, and truthfully, I kind of fell for him on the spot. His smile, his laugh, and the way he lit up a room just made me feel comfortable, even in a sea of unfamiliar faces. Little did I know, that first meeting would be the beginning of a love story I could never have predicted but am so grateful for.

The more I got to know him, the more I realized that there was so much to admire. Ethan was someone who lived with a deep love for the Lord, and his faith was something that truly stood out to me. But what made him even more amazing was his openness to try new things, to embrace the unknown, and to grow – both as an individual and with others. His passion for life and his ability to see beauty in everything he did made me fall deeper for him every day.

I remember the moment when I realized he liked me back. After spending some time together, he asked me on a date. I was excited, but also a little hesitant because, at that point, I wasn't quite sure I was ready for a relationship. But Ethan was patient and kind, and after a week of getting to know each other even better, we decided to take the leap together and started dating.

We have shared so many memories, big and small, but one of the most special moments of our relationship came during a winter photo shoot. Ethan suggested we do ice skating pictures – and I have to admit, at first, I thought it was a bit of a strange idea. But knowing how much he loved fun, spontaneous adventures, I agreed. As we skated and laughed, I had no idea that Ethan had something even more magical planned. About 30 or 40 minutes into our shoot, the photographer asked for a few pictures of just me, and when I turned around, there he was – on one knee, holding a shiny ring.

I was in total shock, and without a second thought, I said yes. In that moment, it felt like everything had led to this one perfect question, and I couldn’t wait to say yes to spending the rest of my life with him. That moment, surrounded by ice, laughter, and love, was the start of the next chapter of our story.

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