We met in college—two student-athletes chasing our own dreams, enjoying life and not looking for one another. Lauren was on the women’s soccer team. Focused, competitive, and somehow always managing to balance late-night study sessions with early morning practices. Dawson played baseball and also took on coaching responsibilities during his later years at school—always the guy who stayed after practice to throw a few extra pitches or help a freshman figure out his swing.

We officially met through mutual friends who were Dawson’s roommates, but he definitely did make the first move.

Ignored at first, Dawson didn’t give up. After a few weeks, Lauren finally responded to him and the rest- well is history. An instant spark from day one.

What started as quick hellos between classes, snap chats and late-night texts during road trips turned into coffee dates, post-practice hangouts, and cheering each other on from the sidelines. We became each other’s biggest supporters—on and off the field.

Lauren graduated a year before Dawson and began her career as an ER nurse, diving headfirst into the fast-paced world of emergency medicine. Long shifts and long drives didn’t stop her from visiting Dawson on weekends to watch him coach or grab dinner between games. The dugout and the ER couldn’t have been more different, but somehow, our worlds fit together.

Through hospital chaos and baseball seasons, missed calls and surprise visits, we grew stronger-

You don’t realize how much you would value a 10minute conversation until that’s all you get between a night shift and a full day at school.

We are so grateful for the distance and the time we had to grow stronger together to fulfill the plan the Lord has for our lives.

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