We met the way all great modern love stories begin: with two people who weren’t totally sure they were ready for anything serious… and then immediately proved themselves wrong. Our first encounter was during my college practicum, when Steve was leading a virtual counselling group I’d been assigned to co‑facilitate. My laptop camera had conveniently stopped working, so I appeared only as a mysterious black square on his screen. Not long after, he suggested we meet for coffee to “talk about work.” He was persistent. He might even claim I was the one who insisted… potato, tomato. I’ll never forget walking into that coffee shop—or walking out of it. The smiles, the butterflies, the feeling of floating… and yet, the uncertainty too, especially when he gave me what can only be described as an “uncle hug.” But from that very first coffee, something undeniable had already begun. Our first official date was rollerskating in Armstrong. We had the rink to ourselves, spending the afternoon chasing each other like teenagers, laughing as we helped one another up after a few spills. You’d never guess from watching us that day that we both have bad knees. From there, our life started filling up with the things that make us us: long drives to nowhere, days on the lake fishing (where Amanda catches the biggest fish, obviously), and camping trips where we somehow cook better than we do at home. Being outdoors became one of our favourite ways to be together — no distractions, no rush, just the two of us finding our rhythm in the quiet. Over the years, we’ve grown through moves, milestones, building a business, and the beautiful chaos of becoming parents to our daughter, Coby. We learned that love isn’t one big moment — it’s a thousand tiny ones. We supported each other through new chapters, celebrated each other’s wins, and learned how to navigate life’s harder moments with gentleness and grace. When Coby became sick, everything shifted and deepened again. The past year and a half has taught us more about love, resilience, and partnership than we ever expected to learn so early in our journey as parents. We learned how to lean on each other, how to stay soft in hard moments, and how to keep choosing hope together. That chapter didn’t define us, but it strengthened us in ways we carry forward every day. Now we’re choosing to celebrate the story we’ve grown, the family we’re raising, and the future we’re excited to keep exploring — on the water, in the woods, and everywhere in between.