GI Jane meets The Blackout Beast

Where to start......well we can start with our nicknames. Hello, I'm Rayna aka GI Jane. I was in the Army active duty for 10 years and got out honorably in 2009 after one too many deployments to combat zones. I had already lost my husband because of deployments, I didn't want my two daughters to lose their mother too.  Meanwhile my honey Dwayne was in Arkansas playing semi-professional football. He's a tall stout feller, about 6'3 and 240 pounds. He was nicknamed the Blackout Beast because he was fast, big, and powerful! In 2010, he suffered a pretty major injury and was forced to leave the game he loves so much. While he was transitioning out of the league, his ex-wife was transitioning out of their home. She figured if he was hurt he wouldn't be making any money and her lifestyle wouldn't be maintained so she left him in December 2010.

We didn't know each other at the time but 2011 was a year of remorse but rejuvenation for us both. We became closer to God and decided to focus on forgetting past hurts, letting combat stress go, and being better single parents to our children.

Fastforward to 2013. Dwayne found me on a dating website. There. I said it. We emailed for a week and then I finally gave him my phone number. We met a week later and we have been together every since. His strong and calm presence helps to balance my charismatic personality. When I'm having flashbacks to Iraq, he's only a phone call away to help calm my fears. He's quite simply my perfect mate.

When Dwayne proposed to me on November 24th, 2013 he didn't have a ring. He simply said he had talked with my father earlier in the night and got his permission and felt he needed to ask me sooner than later. Of course I said yes! I know his $15 an hour position hasn't allowed for him to save much since his messy divorce in 2011. A ring wasn't on my mind because HE is what my heart desires.

Dwayne is a sentimental chap, so he decided that since my family already has marriage anniversaries in January and February, March would be our month and since 8 is a vertical infinity symbol, he felt it was fitting. So here we are with a wedding date and $500 between the two of us. We are confident that the money will be there and we are hopeful you all want to contribute to our day.

Here's an itemized list:

$349 my david's bridal dress

$69 my bra and petticoat

$375 for wedding invitation

$60 for invitation postage

$1007 for 2 coach plane tickets to fly his children to AR for the wedding from their home in CA

$690 for Trio's restuarant to supply various meat and cheese trays

$450 for Trio's to set up, cater, and clean up after the reception

$500 for Dwayne's tux and alterations

$250 for wedding cake

$200 for wedding dress alterations

$3400 for wedding and reception venue at La Vada's. This includes the rental of tables, chairs,      linen, plates, forks, glasses, required waitstaff

This brings us to $7,350. We already have $500 but we have to have the venue paid ($3,400) by the 15th of January. That will literally be inpossible financially for us. I am a social work student and he's the only income we have.

I know it's risky to donate only; I question who actually would but I'm faithful that there are charitable people like me and Dwayne in the world that want to see our vision come to life.

IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE PAYING US DIRECTLY, BY ALL MEANS, CONTACT THE VENDORS AND PAY THEM DIRECTLY AS YOU SEE FIT! We have accounts established for them except for the venue because we can't book until we have the $3,400. You can make payments to them towards this large cost.

Thank you all for reading ALL of this! We appreciate you!!

~Rayna and Dwayne