
We met junior year of high school at a student organization retreat. David was cheating at cards but we were frustrated because we couldn't prove it. Fast forward a year, and after getting to know each other better, we went to David's junior prom together. We started officially dating that summer and we've been together ever since! We will have been dating for 5 years this July.
David convinced me that he wanted to go eat at Lambert's in Alabama for his birthday, so I agreed. Our friends Laura Beth and Scott were coming with us, and Laura Beth suggested that we visit Bellingrath Gardens while in Alabama. Neither Laura Beth nor I had ever been. Once we got to Bellingrath, we walked around the entire gardens and it was really beautiful. At one point, he started hurrying me along though and kept remarking about how spot 31 was the last part (although I didn't notice it at the time). Once we got to "31" the Asian gardens, he stopped at one point and said that we didn't come there to go to Lambert's. He got down on one knee and proposed, saying many sweet things that made both of us cry. Sadly, I don't remember exactly what he said because I was so excited! Laura Beth and Scott photographed the whole thing and took pictures of us around the gardens afterwards. They had been in on it the whole time and helped him execute the proposal!
Ashley will graduate this May from USM and will begin graduate school in biomedical engineering in the joint University of Memphis/ University of Tennessee program in the fall. David will graduate this upcoming December from USM and after the wedding will move to the Memphis area and begin his teaching career teaching history in a local high school. David and Ashley will live in Southaven/Olive Branch area until Ashley gets her Ph.D., then who knows where the future will take them!