Carli and Ben’s story is one of timing and persistence. Carli and Ben grew up in the same town and attended the same high school. Ben played basketball with Carli’s older brother and Carli played volleyball with Ben’s younger sister. They knew who each other were, but never knew each other.

Some years later, Ben asked Carli on a date. Upon receiving a reluctant “yes” from her, he left her alone until the date, which was months later, in order to not ruin it. Over the next four years, life took them down different paths. Carli became an attorney in Tennessee, and Ben became a pilot in the Air Force in Texas. Even still, they never could leave each other alone. After many Nashville and Del Rio trips, and a large move to the Texas border town for Carli, Ben asked her to be his wife on the bank of Lake Amistad in Del Rio. Her “yes” that time was anything but reluctant.