First Encounter

Brandon and Lavina met in the summer of 2011 playing basketball at Yellig Park, after a long Holiday World shift. Not much of significance happened that evening, though they would continue to see each other many more times at the same venue throughout that summer.

When the summer drew to a close and Holiday World's operating hours decreased, the pickup basketball games at Yellig Park came to an end. That fall, Brandon and Lavina headed off to their respective colleges for their first Freshman semester. There was no communication between the two that fall, or even until basketball at Yellig started again. However, Brandon was intrigued by the person he met in the summer. Lavina was not.

Progress

Nearly two years later in the summer of 2013, Brandon and Lavina were getting to know each other a little better. They had hung out with various groups together and had continued playing basketball after Holiday World shifts. Lavina had acquired a fondness for Brandon at this point; he could make her laugh and had a little bit of charm. Brandon insists that he was flirting with Lavina for a while, but Lavina didn't seem to get the hint.

Halfway through the summer, Brandon transferred from the Games Department to the Foods Department in which Lavina was a manager. He claimed he was burnt out after six years and needed a change, but coworkers and friends of both were dismissive of the excuse. To sway opinion that Lavina wasn't the reason for Brandon's transfer, she tried to avoid him at work as much as possible. The summer ended with each a little unsure of their feelings for the other. The two went back to their colleges, this time communicating occasionally via Twitter and Snapchat.

Making Moves

During Christmas Break of 2013, Lavina and her friends made plans to go ice skating in Evansville. Brandon tagged along on the trip with a mutual friend. The two spent much of the time talking and skating together. After that evening, Brandon and Lavina kept in constant communication. A couple months later when Lavina and her roommate took a weekend trip to Evansville, Brandon finally scheduled his first date with her.

The first date went well and the two continued talking and texting constantly. On April 24, 2014, Brandon traveled to Bloomington to spend the weekend with Lavina and enjoy the Little 5 festivities. Before his departure two days later, Brandon asked Lavina to be his girlfriend.

After more than five years of dating, Brandon proposed to Lavina on October 24, 2019. He presented her with the note she had written him the day he asked her to be his girlfriend and recounted what it meant to him. They are now both excited to share their special day with friends and family on May 22, 2021.