Huge shoutout to Mills and Cooper for getting engaged last year! We met at their engagement party November 2023, and the rest is history. I remember walking away from my first conversation with Richard thinking, Everything he’s saying sounds like something my future husband would say. Little did I know! I was hooked—even with that long hair😂

Our first date was on December 2, 2023, and it was already a big day for Richard. He PR’d in a marathon that morning, and later that night, Alabama beat UGA in the SEC Championship. Little did he know, the day was about to get even better! At the time, my job was basically interviewing people all day, so naturally, I approached our date similarly—like an interrogation. Lucky for me, Richard handled my grilling like a pro and actually appreciated my hard questions!! I also can’t leave out that the race that morning was actually in Memphis (where I was living at the time), and Richard drove four hours to Birmingham after running 26.2 miles just to take me out. I have no idea why I didn’t just stay in Memphis that weekend, but I’m so glad he somehow made it happen anyway. I don’t think a smile has left my face since then!

After that, if I wasn’t at work, we were on the phone. When I was in Memphis and he was in Huntsville, I think we spent no joke 30+ hours a week on phone calls. My Memphis IG coworkers can confirm that even when I was in the office, I wasn’t doing much except twirling around in my spinny chair, texting “my husband,” and giggling at my phone from 8 to 5. (And he eventually got a haircut thank the Lord)

He helped me move to Nashville not long after, and we ended up getting snowed in together during the infamous blizzard of 2024. We spent an entire week stuck inside, and it was hands down one of the most pivotal weeks of my life. I knew from the second we met that he was the one (still impressed with my gut instincts for that), but that snow week cemented it for me. He was, and still is, the best person I’ve ever met and the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Game over!!

Thank the Lord we both ended up back in Birmingham with our families and Dutch way sooner than either of us expected. Everything has panned out better than I could have ever dreamed, and we only have God to thank for blessing us like this. It’s beyond my comprehension and seriously overwhelming!!

We’ve spent so much time together in Birmingham and all over the place—there’s no one else I’d rather do everything and go everywhere with. And let me just say, there is also literally no one else I’d take up running for. That one should speak major volumes forever. Seriously though, I’m so grateful for him and for every single moment we spend together, no matter what it is we’re doing!!

Richard has been my greatest blessing since day one, and I’ve told him since then that I know God made him just for me. He loves me, takes care of me, and champions me in ways I didn't even know were possible. In my mind he’s been my husband from the jump, and I’m absolutely ecstatic that I’ll get to be his WIFE officially!! I love him, I love the life we’ve built so far, and I can’t wait for what’s ahead—9/6/25 and beyond!!

Our story begins with Cooper and Mills's engagement party. I vividly remember being at the hunting camp the morning of and telling Steed, “Ivey Wimberly is going to be there todayyyy 👀”. I thought about her that whole car ride from Livingston. At first I was too scared to talk to her, but then she came up to me, I was blown away from the beginning. I remember going home to my mom that night and telling her that I had already fallen in love. Ivey went from a fantasy to a potential first date.

December 2nd was the greatest day of my life. Even though I had my best race and Alabama beat Georgia, the first interrogation at Tre Luna was easily the highlight of the day. I remember running off of fumes and being in so much pain until I picked her up at Oteys, and I forgot about everything. She really did interrogate me but I loved it. It showed me she knew what she wanted and was not wasting time, which is exactly what I needed. I asked if we should get married that day…. She thought I was joking.

From there we continued going on dates in Memphis or Huntsville. We then we met each other’s families and I speak for both of us when I say that solidified so much for each of us. Ivey has fit in as a Mayberry since the day she put Jack in his place about being ambidextrous. Her family has treated me as their own since day one and I couldn’t be happier and more proud to be apart of theirs. The reason I’m saying this is because family is so important to both of us, and those early days made me realize how special it would be for Ivey and I to create one.

Marrying Ivey is one of the easiest and most special decisions I’ve ever made. Every day, conversation, experience, and moment shared together has been nothing short of a blessing. I knew I wanted to marry Ivey the day that I met her, and that feeling has only gotten stronger every day. September 6th we will make all those dreams we ever talked about come true, and we can’t wait to do it with all of y'all!