Bradly and I met the way only a true Coast Guard love story could begin: on deployment. My team flew from Texas to Hawaii to meet his ship and get underway. According to Bradly, he noticed me the second I stepped on board. In fact, he confidently told his roommates, “that’s going to be my wife.” Meanwhile, I didn’t even notice him until weeks later. What finally got my attention? Chocolate. Yes, while I had packed nothing but healthy food for deployment, Bradly somehow had an endless supply of sweets. Looking back, it might’ve been strategic. He started offering me chocolate, and let’s just say… it worked. As I got to know him more, I realized this was no coincidence. Bradly had been doing his homework, gathering “intel” about me from friends, learning my gym schedule, and even adjusting his watch just to “randomly” run into me. Total stalker, but a very committed one. One day, he casually asked when my next cheat meal was so he could make sure I had chocolate waiting and, in his words, “make me smile.” Then came a port call where he coordinated a group hike and made sure my friends got me there. Little by little, we became inseparable, all while keeping things completely under wraps during deployment. Looking back now, we truly believe God was writing our story long before we ever realized it. What felt like chance moments and perfectly timed encounters were really His way of bringing us together exactly when we needed each other most. After deployment, Bradly asked if I could take some time off to stay with him in Hawaii. I did, and what was supposed to be a short visit turned into the beginning of everything. Since then, our love has grown through every season, through moves, challenges, and new beginnings, and even welcoming our sweet (and slightly spoiled) Frenchie, Stitch, who quickly became the center of our little family. From chocolate bribes and “coincidental” run-ins to a love that grew across oceans, deployments, and distance, we know this journey was never random. It was always part of God’s plan. Now we can’t wait to begin this next chapter together, hand in hand, with faith at the center and forever ahead of us.