Cody and Anessa learned early in their relationship that Cody actually messaged Anessa when they were 15 on Facebook. The messaging eventually stopped, and they didn't see each other again until a bonfire 4 years later. At the bonfire Anessa asked her friend who Cody was because she thought he was cute, and the friend sternly told her that he was taken at the time. Up until they got together there were so many other accounts of them just barely crossing paths and living their lives just out of reach of each other. Then around November 2020 they joked as acquaintances over messaging for a day about the election, and other crazy things of the time. In December Cody's Best Man Jered asked him what kind of girl he was looking for and he brought up Anessa's name, this was a manifestation of what was soon to come. The first week of January 2021 Anessa became single and Cody took that opportunity to slide back into Anessa's DM's. All jokes aside, they immediately clicked with their banter and similar sense of humor. Anessa innocently suggested they should go get a beer soon to catch up but Cody countered with a date at his house that Friday night. Anessa of course accepted, she couldn't resist that sort of confidence. Excited for their "kind of date" they face timed twice that week until 1am and were texting constantly, it felt like they were in high school again. Anessa told him that she was bringing bottle of wine, so Cody frantically asked his mom for wine glasses. The day came for their date, and Anessa showed up an hour and a half late because she stayed around to put Athena her daughter to bed. Cody was talking to Jered telling him that she wasn't coming. When Anessa finally got there, Cody cooked Rice a' Roni pilaf, chicken thighs and a garden salad, men take notes because it was actually so good. Anessa suspiciously asked him why he had wine glasses if he didn't drink wine, and he admitted he got them just for her. They laughed, drank, and watched comedy, at the end of the night he bravely pulled her in for a kiss. It was the best date they both had ever been on. They felt like home to each other from the very beginning. After walking Anessa to her car she was already anxious driving home hoping she wouldn't get "ghosted" because she already was falling for him. Two weeks later he asked her to be his girlfriend. Their kids only being 6 months apart were 2 and 1 1/2 at the time, already consider each other brother and sister because they have been together as long as they can remember. Not only are Anessa and Cody best friends but they were able to give their kids a best friend at the same time, and they are so happy they get to grow up together. Hopefully, after the wedding they are planning to make one more addition to their family as their kids ask them for another sibling almost every day. Cody and Anessa's story has always been one of family, triumph, and surrounded by love always. They have made it 5 beautiful years and are ready for a lifetime more.