As soon as my sister left dinner, she called and  told me that our little brother Corey needed to meet Morgan. She said Morgan was sweet, kind, loved the Lord and was the easiest person in the world to talk to. So fast forward a few months and we had a PLAN for them to hangout! To make a long story short… they hung out, then they hung out again…. then they got each other’s numbers from a group text and then they started talking!!! To say my sister and I were excited would be an understatement!!! They dated and then took a break while Morgan was overseas for school but Corey kept pursuing her. They kept talking and checking in with one another and it wasn’t long until we got the call that Morgan and Corey had met up to talk over dinner and they were dating again!! Fast forward less than a year later and that leads us to this weekend.  We’re at our lake house and Corey tells Morgan that they need to take his boat to the marina to get gas.  She doesn’t think twice.

Morgan loves boat rides with Corey… especially on HIS boat! She climbed in the boat, they drove around the cove and then he pulled back in front of our house and slowed down because he told her that he “forgot his wallet”. Seconds later he told her to go to the front of the boat because he had something that he wanted to ask her while he simultaneously pulled a ring box out of the boat’s glove compartment. Michael and I were hiding on our dock with our cameras in hand and I watched my baby brother ask the most amazing girl to be his WIFE!!!!!! As he got down on one knee… I started shooting rapidly…. and then after about 5 seconds, it HITS me that this is MY little BROTHER that’s proposing!! The thoughts that I had running in my mind over and over again were…..

….. “Oh my gosh God we prayed for this… I’ve been praying for Corey’s future wife since I was in high school…. God you are so faithful! You’re literally answering our prayers right before my eyes!! Thank you Jesus!! …. Oh my gosh Katelyn stop bawling you have to take pictures…. oh she’s hugging him… she loves him…oh she just kissed him…. never seen that before… They are so happy… I’m so happy!! …. Oh dear I’m crying again….. I’m just so thankful! Just keep shooting Katelyn!! ” …..

Corey pulled it off. He proposed on the water, on his boat, he secretly got her parents and sister to the lake without her knowing, he designed the most GORGEOUS ring and he SURPRISED Morgan! ….. Which is VERY hard to do! As they pulled back to the dock we hugged, cried, screamed and hugged some more! Then we all piled into the boats and headed to the main lake for fireworks and then we came back and Morgan’s parents threw a beautiful mini-engagement party at the house!!

I have to admit that I was a hot mess before this all transpired. I was nervous and no one knew that it was happening except my parents, Michael and Corey. We had 17 people at the lake house and somehow we kept this plan a secret for almost TWO DAYS before it was go time!!! I loved getting to capture these priceless moments for my brother and new SISTER!  I’m so proud of Corey and I’m so excited that I can barely stand it!!!

Not only does Morgan already look like she belongs in the James family with that beautiful red hair but her dad and my dad have been GOOD friends since high school. Greg was there for my dad when he lost his parents as a teenager and they have walked through life together ever since.  Little did they know that way back when God started to write the story of their friendship through such a hard season of my dad’s life that 20 some years later, they would be watching their two youngest children marry one another!!! It’s just amazing!!!! God was showing off when he pieced this love story together!!! :)

We’re beyond excited and I think it’s SAFE to say that we had one INCREDIBLE holiday weekend at the lake!!!! After the proposal we spent the rest of our weekend lounging on the dock,  doing a shrimp boil, playing with the puppies, enjoying campfires and fireworks and being entertained by the boy’s tubing adventures on the water.  It was wonderful and I can’t wait to show you Corey and Morgan’s pictures! Enjoy!!!