Treetop Loft Lifestyle Engagement Session

Josh + Shanelle

From the first time I met Shanelle, I couldn’t get my mind off of her. She was special. She had something about her that I can’t really put into words, but it was a feeling that has never left me since I met her. Since I was just a sixteen-year-old kid, I let everyone I could know that I liked her, hoping the word would get back to her. Thanks to my brother, who loved to air my dirty laundry, it did. Over the next year, I pursued her in every way I could. After a year or so of trying to get her phone number despite her parent’s resistance, I did. Only after her dad threatened to “eat me for lunch” if I did anything wrong. Throughout high school, Shanelle and I exchanged “dis raps” and even in the midst of those terrible raps we made fun of each other in, I loved every moment I got to communicate with her.

I will never forget New Year’s Eve in 2006, when we swapped, “I love you’s” for the first time. I couldn’t believe it.

Throughout college, the relationship rollercoaster got wild. We had a few breakups, but it never lasted longer than a couple months until I went to Florida for ministry school. Shanelle and I completely broke it off for 9 months so she could focus on her senior year and I could focus on school. After that 9 months, Shanelle showed up at my graduation and that feeling I was talking about in the beginning of this was back in full swing, she was as beautiful as ever. From then on our love grew. I asked her to marry me, and I was shocked as you can imagine when she said yes! The engagement was perfect, a sunset sailboat ride followed by the proposal under the Navarre pier, candles scattered about, with the whole family standing above watching the whole experience. It was perfect.

All the way till now, she still takes my breath away. I still have that unexplainable feeling when she walks into a room. God knew what he was doing when he made Shanelle. 

-Josh

Venue: The Tree Top Loft in Historic Opelika Alabama