Hi Aisle Perfect readers! Let me start off by saying how much of an honor it is to be on this site as a #BloggerBride! There was a time in my life when I would have never associated myself with the word bride, bridal, wedding, marriage…anything like that! I just didn’t think it was going to happen. So with that being said, it’s an even greater honor to be sharing this very personal and very exciting journey with you all. Like many of you, I do take marriage very seriously and want to make sure my fiancé and I are as prepared as possible for this new chapter in our lives! I welcome your insight, thoughts and feedback as I take you down our journey to matrimony. Enjoy!
The Beginning.
What happens when faith meets purpose? The beginning of a happily ever after no one saw coming. It all started in 2011, well-it REALLY started in 2010. This was the year I left everything – my home, my job, and life as I knew it in Virginia, to pursue a new life and career track in the (southern) city that never sleeps, Atlanta, GA. An entrepreneur and writer at heart, I never let go of my passion to work on my terms doing public relations and marketing for companies and businesses I genuinely wanted to work with. In 2012, Thought Bubble Communications was born.
The Encounters.
By the time I started my business, I was three years out of my last relationship, and too consumed with work and my own self-discovery to be looking for love, I was in no rush to start anything new. But as luck, or fate, would have it, God had something and someone else in the plan. One September night in 2011, the course of two people’s lives changed forever. I met Ernst. You know, it’s funny. It’s actually hard for me to say I “met” my love, because he and I actually ran into each other before casually. The week I moved to Atlanta, we were actually at a party together and didn’t even know it. We danced and hung out with our friends probably within a few feet of each other and didn’t even know each other existed. We have a mutual friends and saw each other at a few more social events, casually said “hi,” some brief conversation, but that was it.
The Approach.
Then, there was that one night. That one night in September when we were at the same club. He approached me and asked me to dance (He’s a man with great taste, what can I say!). I remembered running into him before, and he was friends with a friend of mine, so I decided to dance with him. That sealed the deal! We went on a date the next day and have been locked together ever since. Ernst is also an entrepreneur. He owns and operates Math After Numbers, LLC; a math education services business. He also teaches 12th grade pre-calculus at a local high school. He is a very caring, sweet and patient man. Trust me, you have GOT to be patient when dealing with me, lol. I’m forgetful, I can be absent-minded and have tunnel vision, so I’m blessed to have a man who can get me back on track. In the process of creating our own businesses, we created the ultimate blessings when we became the parents of TWINS in 2013! Our twins are the center of our world, we’ve grown so much through them and learned so much about ourselves and us as a couple because of our kids.
The Proposal.
Our journey has taken us from boyfriend and girlfriend to mommy and daddy, but there was one more step that Ernst had in the works. In November of 2014, after a long week of travel for me, Ernst took me out to a restaurant. We ate, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company as we normally do. But halfway into the meal, the conversation took a change. He looked at me and said, “I have a surprise for you…” I said, “What?” Then, he pulled out a beautiful white box with a beautiful diamond ring in it and asked me to marry him! I, of course, said “YES!” I was elated and wanted to run around the restaurant screaming at the top of my lungs! SIDEBAR: I do this little squeal thing when I get really excited, I wanted to do it there too, but…we were in a public place, so… Anyway, we are a private couple with a foundation based in friendship, faith in God and love, so the fact that it was just the two of us made the moment that much more special. Afterwards, we went to the Skyview, a big, beautiful Ferris wheel in Atlanta, and took in the sites and the sounds of the city that brought us together.
The Next Step.
The journey from Misses to Mrs. has been a sweet one so far. I’m excited to bring you all along the way as we balance, work and entrepreneurship, parenthood and wedding planning! We’re getting married in my hometown of Virginia Beach, VA. in May 2016, proving that what they say is true – Virginia really is for lovers.
P.S. – Next month…engagement shoot!!!
