Will and I grew up in the same small town of Schulenburg. He was a senior when I was a freshman - we knew each other but we never hung out together. MANY years passed... Will and I never crossed paths until October of 2022. I saw Will and his mom so I went up to say hi to her and truly didn't think he would know who I was so I put my hand out there (to shake his hand and introduce myself)... I said "hey, not sure if you remember me, I'm Erica Novick". I still laugh at that... he shook my hand (who knows what he was thinking) and I didn't think anything about it after that. Fast forward to early December of 2023 when my mom and I signed up to go to a charcuterie-making class in Schulenburg on a Friday night. My mom and I got our sugar cookie martinis and found a seat (there were probably about 50 ladies there) and a little bit later, 3 ladies came and sat with us. I didn't know who they were but we were having our drinks, laughing, snacking and learning how to make pretty charcuterie boards. We were all chatting and one of the people sitting with us said "oh so you know my brother". Truthfully, I didn't know her so I didn't know who her brother was... a bit later, she said “Will” and I put two and two together. Somehow, between her and my mom talking, she said "I have the perfect guy for you"... she and my mom were talking about me and talking about Will (and how great we both are, haha) and I can tell you, I turned beet red and got up to get another drink. They certainly were playing matchmakers and that’s where our story started. Apparently, Tanya (Will's sister) texted him around 11:30 that night - while he was in George West hunting (well sleeping) and said “I found the perfect girl for you”. He didn’t reply. The next day, she sent him a picture of me (which I found out about months later) and said “what do you think” and what he actually said is still unknown but quoting him as I type this “I said ‘oooohhh she’s so beautiful’”. They talked a little more, I don't know all the details, and on Sunday, she asked him if he called me yet because I was expecting his call (even though I really wasn't). He said “how can I call her, I don’t have her number”. The next day or so, she sent him my number and I got a text from him and it said something along the lines of "I've been hearing a lot about you over the last few days; I’m sure you can guess from who..." so we texted a bit and then he called me later that evening. We talked over the next week or two and then we went to lunch when we were both in Schulenburg over the Christmas holiday. We went out a few more times over the next couple of weeks and then ended up going to Freyburg Hall to listen to Roger Creager on a very cold January night and I think I can safely say the rest is history. Well, I think for Will, the rest became history after he took me to Seadrift and saw that I could fish and back the boat in the water… then he was hooked ;)

For years, I’ve been in prayer for the man God had for me; believing He was working while I was waiting. I would always say “Lord, I want your plan and your perfect will for my life no matter what”. And in His timing, He gave me just that.. His perfect WILL. I was praying for him by name and never even knew it. I couldn’t be more grateful. Our story has been a whirlwind of abundant blessings and beautiful moments. We welcomed our perfect baby boy, Jase, into the world on March 20th and began our most exciting adventure as being mommy and daddy. I can’t wait to see Will at the end of the aisle on October 18th where we will begin our next amazing adventure and take on another set of new titles as we become husband and wife!

We can’t wait to celebrate our love with you that day!