The first time we met was when we were sophomores in high school. It was a random, rainy Friday night when I went to meet a group of friends at a Cold Stone Ice Creamery in Salmon Creek (that no longer exist to my disappointment) so we could all try to find something entertaining to do. I (Ari) had moved to Vancouver the year before and had recently started hanging out with a few of my classmates at Skyview High School that eventually became lifelong friends - one being Justin Beattie. Jeff & Justin had been friends & classmates since childhood. Jeff chose to make the interesting decision to switch to Hudson's Bay High School his freshman year. BUT, even though he was at a different school, Jeff still lived right down the street from Justin (in the neighborhood where Jeff & I now live and will start our lives together). And thankfully he tagged along that night to hang out with the Skyview kids. We became close friends very quickly, hanging out every weekend for almost a year just as friends. Then finally in the fall of our junior year, when I was dropping Jeff off at home after a Skyview football game he got up the courage to kiss me. And within the week, we were officially "going out". While we did take a long break from being a couple in our early 20s, we have always been there for each other when it mattered most. Jeff has been one of my best friends from the first time I met him, which is why we know we will make it through all the crazy things life will bring. And I can't wait!