Our story began in the most unexpected way. Blane reached out to me, but I’ll admit, I was skeptical from the very beginning. I didn’t believe his name was really Blane. The only “Blane” I’d ever heard of was Blaine from the 1980s movie Pretty in Pink. And to be honest, I’d never met a person of color named Blane, so I was convinced he had to be using a fake name. After a while, I finally agreed to meet him in person. Little did I know that one decision would change the course of my life.

Without a doubt, our favorite memory is Blane’s proposal. We were on a Mediterranean cruise and had chosen an excursion that retraced the path Jesus walked through Jerusalem, Israel. It was already an unforgettable day, but I had no idea what was about to happen. Atop Mt. Olive, Blane got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was the love, thoughtfulness and faith that day that made it one of our best memories.

When we asked my mom if she would join us on our 2027 third anniversary cruise to Alaska, we honestly expected the answer to be “no.” She’s never been one to say yes to trips like this. So when she smiled and agreed, our hearts were full. God willing we’ll all be together in 2027 celebrating our 3rd anniversary and making wonderful memories with Mom.