Fall of 2012 is when we were first laid eyes on each other. We both ran cross country for the same school. Antonise was in 8th grade and Rakeem was a freshman in highschool. We had a cross country meet at Rensselaer High School. After the meet was over, Rakeem friends were play fighting with Antonise's friends. Antonise was standing off to the side and Rakeem walked up to Antonise.
Rakeem asked Antonise why isn't she helping and Antonise said "I am. I’m helping them in my mind." & that was the beginning to our story.
We stopped talking 2013 and reconnected again in 2014. This time we attended the same high school since I (Antonise) was now a freshman. We talked, hung out, and chatted on the phone A LOT. (I would hog the house phone from every one!) March we went on a double date with our best friends at the time, which counts as Rakeem and I first date.
The 5 smaller photos were pictures in April before Rakeem asked me to be his girlfriend. If you look closely, I WAS SUPER SHY!!! I would always bite my thumb nail when he was around. He officially asked me on April 16th, 2014 to be his girlfriend. Fast forward to the large photo, a week later he came over to my house for the first time. Safe to say he survived my mom's unhappiness about her baby girl dating at 14 years old! (you can actually see her in the background of that photo).
Since Rakeem was a grade above me, OF COURSE we had to attend two proms!!
2016 Black and Blue (Rakeem’s senior prom)
2017 Burgundy and Gold (Antonise’s senior prom)
I (Antonise) made a decision to go to school at University of Iowa for school and athletics. While it was a tough/sad decision to make at the time, it became one of the best choices for both of us. Distance makes the heart grow fonder! The night before I left to college August 13, 2017, Rakeem proposed to me with a ring pop.
Rakeem got his Bachelor's degree and then I graduated and got mine! Long Distance Was OFFICIALLY OVER! It was 4 long years!!!
What a day to remember! What's better than being asked to marry your best friend? Oh wait...Rakeem getting baptized then asking me to make him the happiest man in the world!!!