Our story, Caleb and mine, is all thanks to Jesus and friends who listen to His voice. My manager at the time was on maternity leave, so I went to Atlanta for a client photoshoot to fill in for her. While at the photo shoot, my work best friend (thank you Abany) mentioned I was single to everyone on set. Later the photographer (thank you Mary Claire) asked if I was interested in being set up.

I acted in true form, asking if the guy she had in mind loved Jesus and if Mary Claire would be upset if I didn’t like him. She told me that he did love Jesus and that she wouldn’t care if I wasn’t interested. I agreed that she could pass along my number and the rest is history.

It turns out Mary Claire’s boyfriend was best friends with Caleb. Both Caleb and I say that from our first date at Adele’s, we felt like we had known each other a long time. Caleb will tell you that he heard the Lord’s voice before our date that it would be his last first date. It took me a little longer, but Caleb’s steadfast love and pursuit carried us until I got the “yes” I was waiting for from the Lord. God has been in every detail of our lives apart from each other and continues to remind us that it was His idea to bring us together.

I love Jess and knew very early on that I would do anything and everything in my power to marry her. An incredible woman deserves an incredible proposal, but an incredible proposal would require the help of many people. The first step was to determine the location. I had originally planned on Nashville, but when Jess told me she wanted to go to Tulsa for Memorial Day weekend I knew Oklahoma would be the perfect place. The next step was to assemble the team. It felt like something from Ocean’s 11, combining strategic pieces to complete the mission. Alex (one of Jessica’s bridesmaids) was a key player in this plan. She asked Jess to speak at dinner for recently graduated high school girls headed to college. We knew Jess would say yes to any opportunity to speak into the lives of younger girls. However, this was obviously a cover. I would fly to Tulsa secretly and surprise Jess.

Jess is too smart for her own good so I was putting almost as much energy into throwing her off the plan as I was into the plan itself. At one point I think I had her convinced I was proposing on a horse at Franklin, Tennessee’s annual rodeo.

Jess left for Oklahoma on Thursday morning and was chatting with me all weekend about how she was having the best time with her friends and family (all who knew that a proposal was coming on Sunday). Then Sunday, I flew out to Tulsa with my mom, dad, and sister. When the time was right I made my way to the Philbrook (a museum in midtown Tulsa with a beautiful garden). This is where Jess thought she was speaking that night and Alex delivered her to me. Jess and I both have trouble recalling the exact details of the proposal itself, but the one thing we will always remember is how much peace we both had.

We took some photos at the Philbrook and then I told Jess we were going to dinner with her family. Upon arrival, she was greeted with her closest friends and family along with the surprise of some of my family making the trip from Tennessee. Jess was so happy I don’t think she touched the ground all night. The next day our families had brunch together which felt like a true merging of our two families. Then later that week, all of our Tennessee friends surprised Jess with another party. It was the very best week but Jess was also thrilled when I told her, finally, there were no more surprises.

I love Jessica Marie Freeman. The best part of this entire story is that she said yes. She is my best friend. The love of my life. The person I can’t imagine the rest of my life without. She’s the one I want to grow old with. Every day for a lifetime I will thank God that He sent me Jess to be my partner.