Lord...how we met! It started off freshman year (Fall 2011) at NCCU where I met one of the groomsmen, Trey Jeffries, in one of my classes. He invited my roommate and I to his to a pre-game and being freshman students, we went...eventually! He introduced us to everyone there, with Danny being one of them. Now that's how we met, but we didn't start socializing with each other until Fall 2012. My roommate and I had moved off campus and so did Trey. Trying to adjust to off campus ways and maintain some type of socialization, we started hanging out with Trey and his friends more. Anytime I went over to Trey's house (which was on a daily/weekly basis), Danny was ALWAYS there. He had no choice but to talk to me, even though we weren't fond of each other. That's how our friendship started!
After we started hanging out more, I realized I actually liked him. We started doing everything together from that point on. He would come with me to do petty errands, go to the cafeteria even though one of us ate already, and go to the library to do homework. Going into Spring 2013, we had a Criminal Justice class together and started using that as an excuse to see each other more. After that semester and spending more time together during the summer, Danny asked me one rainy night to be his girlfriend. He bought me a dozen roses and wrote how he felt in a card. From that moment on, I knew this was the start to a lasting relationship. Here we are six years later and we are preparing ourselves for marriage! Who would've thought?
This picture is special because of the dating memories it brought back to me. We met each other in college. Even though we were technically adults, we made our love connection through study sessions, walks to and from class and binge watching SpongeBob on Wednesdays. Going on dates wasn't something we were too familiar with. I remember giving it a try on Valentine's Day. I don't remember where we went but I remember what I wore. I remember because you helped me pick out my shirt (I never let anyone dress me) and I loved it. We were so young and so wide eyed but I remember the feeling I got from that day. Excitement, joy, love and the feeling of genuine happiness. You give me a happy space to be myself at times. Til this day, you continue to give me that same feeling.
Six years of dating and three months of being engaged, Danny has stood by my side through many challenges and accomplishments. Which is why this is my favorite picture. Not only has he stood by me to receive my undergrad degree, but he was also there for my Masters Degree and many other achievements. Family will always be there for you, but when you find someone that compliments your personality and has the same level of motivation as you, the connection is unimaginable. One of the greatest things I love about our relationship is how we set goals for ourself and our relationship and make sure we accomplish them. We help each other every day to be a better person through conversations about work, school, or social drama. If you knew me before Danny or even in the beginning of our relationship, you know first hand that I am not the same person I was back then. We met at the perfect time & now I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him!