“Incredibly grateful she chose me”

Keashia Smalls is a loving and giving person who is dedicated to her family and protects them fiercely, including her 2-year-old furbaby, Roxy. 

Her husband, Elijah, said Keashia is a great mother to the Cocker Spaniel/Shih Tzu/Staffordshire Terrier mix because she’s constantly making sure he has the freshest food, and the latest toys and games. She even bought him his own chair to sleep in.

Elijah said that is just one of the many things he loves about his wife, but what drew him to Keashia was how comfortable she is with who she is. She loves herself, and that makes him love her. 

“I believe that true love is loving yourself until everyone else does too. Keashia exhibits that every day and I’m just an accessory to her happiness,” Elijah said.

The couple met through Elijah’s brother and his wife, then girlfriend. Their first date was at a little French restaurant called Lana’s. They talked about everything but most importantly, they discovered a shared love of a good cheesecake. 

“I thought the date went well, but I later found out she was having second thoughts because I was too skinny,” Elijah said with a smile. “Luckily, my brother’s girlfriend convinced Keashia that she could fatten me up, so she decided to go on a second date with me.”

Elijah will always remember their first kiss, which he says was at the Battery in Downtown Charleston. However, Keashia believes the kiss was at Alhambra Hall in Mt. Pleasant, but Elijah is convinced that’s the first time she wanted to kiss him.

The couple has a memorable engagement story because Elijah thought he was clever buying two rings, a ruby red “promise” ring and an actual engagement ring, but his grand plan backfired. 

“I was going to give her the ‘promise’ ring as a joke at the beginning of the evening, and then give her the engagement ring at the end of the night when I took her home,” Elijah explained. “Needless to say, that did not work out as I had planned. When I presented her with the ‘promise’ ring her facial expression said it all. She then proceeded to say, ‘It’s RED!!!!’ In that moment, I panicked and was compelled to present the actual engagement ring.”

Luckily, Keashia still said “yes” because the pair have a wonderful life together. They love spending time together riding their bikes, walking Roxy, traveling, and watching their guilty pleasures, “Married at First Sight” and “Ready to Love.”

Elijah is thankful every day that Keashia is in his life. He said she makes him a better person by reminding him that he can be a bit much at times. 

“When I get in those moments, she calmly looks at me and asks, ‘Do you feel better now that you got that out of your system?’” Elijah said, adding, “She then proceeds to show me the error of my ways in a loving manner that only she can provide.”

“I’m so grateful that my gorgeous wife, Keashia, chose me. She’s an AWESOME person and a great wife,” Elijah said. 

“Keashia means hard working, driven, never stopping and always looking into the future,” her sister-in-law Sonja added.

“Kind took in a stray (Roxy).

“Eli’s wife (my sister).

“Awesome baker (Red Velvet).

“Shy as our (Daddy).

“Head strong like our (MAMA).

“Intelligent she got (DEGREES).

“Aunt (Keeka).

“Kayden shout-out.

“Mash all that up and you have my OLDER sister!!!” – Douglas