Cheers to the luus

Even after knowing Angela since middle school, I didn’t really get to know her until a road trip we shared in 2011 in a van full of smelly teens. That trip, I got to know how fun and exciting things would be with her. Her witty comments that snapped those other boys in place caught my attention but her highly whimsical energy was what set her apart. Over the next many years, we’d continue to be there for each other and meet up every Black Friday for our annual shopping spree to which she’d insist “it’s not a date!” Things quickly changed in 2020, Angela invited me to her cousin Don’s wedding that fall. This was where everything fell into place. During the couple’s dance, we snuck away and had our own dance under the romantic glow of street lamps and string lights. That moment encapsulated and ignited a feeling of “I’m really the luckiest guy in the world.” It wasn’t until later that night when I dropped her off home did she suddenly leaped and sealed it in with a goodnight kiss that I knew she was my everything. Angela is true to herself, kind, generous, delightful, and incredibly passionate in everything she believes in. Angela makes every experience we have together worthwhile. I am constantly pushed by her to be a better me and she feels the same from me. Every day, I look forward to the comfort I feel when I come home to her and I cannot wait to feel this for a lifetime.

When I was a little girl, I remember seeing a boy working at his family's nursery. Fast forward to 2011, that same boy came up to me during church and introduced himself to me with, "Hi, I'm Tan Luu, just let me know if you need help with anything." With this, I knew that Tan Luu was going to be an amazing, great, loyal... friend. So like all romantic stories, we started off in the friend zone, and it went on like that for the next 10 years. However, throughout those 10 years, we built great memories and always made sure to make time for each other. From high school to college and medical school, we always met up at least once a year to check in on each other. Whether it was getting coffee, cooking together, studying, or our favorite, annual Black Friday shopping, Tan always made time for me and made me feel like an important person in his life. It was not until the pandemic hit in 2020, that I really felt the importance of Tan's presence in my life. I was going through a really rough time and he consistently checked in on me, making sure I was okay. I could see that he was truly still the same person that I met in 2011... someone who I could go to if I needed help with anything. From then, I knew it was time to change from the friend zone to something more. I truly have never met someone as passionate, kind, and patient as Tan. From the way he photographs people you can tell he sees the best in everyone and allows us to see the world in a new light. I tell him every day that he has made my life better and more importantly, he encourages me to love life and be the best version of myself. I thank God for leading us to each other and to continue to shower us with blessings... Here's to graduating from the friend zone Tanny boy!