Many people are surprised and fascinated to hear about how we met. Through mutual friends? While picking out fruit at the grocery store? At a bar in South End? No. We met the old fashioned way… We matched on a dating app. Cody, sensing fate, opened with a message: “Hey, I think we went to the same high school.” What a small world. Fast forward to January 2024. Our first date was at Summit Coffee in Charlotte. The barista had no idea she was about to witness history. Cody arrived first, and grabbed a table outside, despite the frigid winter air. Anna, fashionably late, grabbed a coffee then joined him. They locked eyes. The Wi-Fi signal strengthened. A coffee bean fell in slow motion. Somewhere, an owl hooted despite it being broad daylight. The conversation? Flawless. The chemistry? Undeniable. The barista? Frantically taking mental notes for her future screenplay. Then—the date ended. Cody, now a man with a mission, tried to hang out again. Anna, knowing the art of the slow burn, replied: “No.” “Not today.” “Maybe tomorrow.” Days passed. Maybe weeks. Cody persisted. Anna, intrigued, happily relented. Two months into dating, Cody joined Anna on a trip to Palm Springs for her work. Cody conquered the task of keeping Anna calm, while allowing Anna to conquer her fear of flying. The plane touched down, and they realized they made a great team. Not long after, they faced another battle—COVID, trapped together with only each other, Netflix, and lots of naps. They emerged stronger, more connected, and somehow even more sure of their future together. They became unstoppable. Now engaged, their life is a perfect balance of scary movies, Bananagram battles, endless arts and crafts, and consuming enough Ben & Jerry’s to be considered stockholders. But through it all, one rule remains unbreakable: By 10 PM, they are asleep.