Written from Matt's perspective.

It was on the 21st of April, 2023 that Haley and I met.

I had a good friend, Austin, visiting from out of town who had never been to Nashville, and Haley promised her friend, Brooke, that she would go out with her so that Brooke could have a girlfriend with her when she went out with a new boy.

I had no intentions of going out on Broadway that night, I picked Austin up late at the airport because I had just traveled back with my unit from West Virginia that day and our travel was delayed so I was already tired. I promised him once I got to the airport we could come back to Nashville the next day so that he could experience it all- I told him I was pooped. I wanted to be a good host so I took him to the only place I know to take anyone when they visit, Hattie B's, and then he asked if we could go to Florida Georgia Line because his friends had said good things. So we went. It seemed unassuming at first, we went up the stairs. We just kind of nodded our heads to the music and danced awkwardly as most guys do- but when we got to the top floor it was so crowded we were fighting for standing room. Not more than two minutes of being there I saw this beautiful girl, with the prettiest brown eyes I'd ever seen in white cowgirl boots and a blue oversized T-shirt. She was so vibrant I thought. Suddenly it was like the room wasn't full anymore, I could only see her. My eyes drifted on and off of her every little bit, so that I wasn't making weird long eye contact. I told my buddy I thought she was cute, but then a moment later Brooke's date was talking to them both and I figured Haley was there with him.

Austin, being the good friend he is, did not give up on the chance for us to meet as easy. He went and tried to make conversation but Brooke's friend left so she told Haley they had to go.

The girls made their way out and Austin and I were about to leave to go back home when Haley ran up to Austin and said, "Actually if you guys aren't doing anything I'd love to have you join us at the place across the street." Austin segwayed that into introducing me, and the rest is history.

For the History nuts- ours is this- we had our first date a week later at a small Conner Smith concert and had such a good time that we met again to have lunch the next day. Lunch led to a last minute soccer game at Geodis Park and a day full of errands- from an REI trip to Costco, lol. It had felt like I was spending time with someone I had known forever and that also knew me. Time with her was comfortable, natural and not forced, we were doing mundane things on our second day together and making them fun. So, I invited her to Clarksville for church the next day and drove her around the place I was beginning to call home.

We made it official by adding the dating label a month later (after. of course meeting her amazing family), and have been kind of inseparable ever since.

We have had the luxury of traveling to Hawaii with our moms, Haley seeing my home town (Idaho) twice, once in the winter and once in the summer. She came with me to my first Colts home game, and we had a few long weekend trips in between to Savannah and Charleston, Dallas and Pennsylvania.

About seven months later I called my mom and told her that I knew it was crazy but this felt so right, "I want to marry this girl."

She responded with, "Well Matthew I want you to. She is amazing and you guys just fit. I'd be honored to have her as my daughter in law."

Which locked in the fact that I needed to.

So, I called her sister and solicited her help finding the right ring. Haley had made it easy though. She has been planning her dream day since she was 12 and everything was pinned on her Pinterest; so all Lindsey and I had to do was choose between rings that matched. Once the ring came in it was time to ask the parents for their blessing. I made sure to have it on me when I asked them so they could see how serious I was about asking for their daughter's hand in marriage.. and to be honest I don't know who cried the most.

Fast forward to the week of Thanksgiving, and we had begun discussing how we wanted to do Christmas. Haley asked if we could go to a tree farm since it has been a family tradition to go right after Thanksgiving. So it came to me- after Thanksgiving, I was going to propose when we went to the tree farm, but I had to make it feel natural.

Her mom helped me print and make ornaments of pictures from some of our favorite days. I solicited the help of her brother, Mason, to go stage the scene by hanging our custom ornaments before we got there. We left about an hour later so that everything was ready. Her amazing cousin, Bri, who happens to be the best photographer, was even hiding behind trees waiting to capture the moment. When we got there we were directed to the "side of the tree farm every one starts at," (which really was just where all the small trees were that wouldn't be ready until the next year).

I don't remember what I said when I got on a knee because I could hardly get the words out, but Bri captured it all. After the proposal her family met us at the farm to celebrate, and a few of the kids even got to cut down their own tree. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

Now, as I write this, it is starting to sink in. I get the privilege of spending the rest of my life with my very best friend, Haley Rae. I love you Haley bug, and I am forever grateful for April 21st.