Jace and I first crossed paths in 2020 at a competition in Oklahoma City. At the time… we were both married. Our introduction was fleeting—just a quick, “Hi, nice to meet you,” followed by, “Oh, I work out in Tulsa too.” I had no idea who he was, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t know me either. Shortly after, he added me on Instagram, and from then on, we “followed” each other in the most casual, social-media way. Fast forward to 2021… we were both invited to join the same CrossFit competition team—charmingly named Free Lulu at the DJ Booth—for KO in the OK in Tulsa. We started working out together here and there, getting in practice sessions for the competition. Between group workouts, strategy chats, and endless text threads, our friendship began to take shape. In 2022, we teamed up again for another OKC competition, this time as First Wives Club. Our team of four snagged 2nd place, but what stuck with me most wasn’t the medal—it was the moment I flew (quite literally) off the pull-up bar, landing flat on my back in front of a crowd. Jace came running over, asking if I was okay. When I said yes, he grinned and replied, “Good, because you have two more pull-ups.” I laughed—because really, who does that?—and in that moment, I realized he was not only kind and attentive, but also my kind of funny. For a while, our connection stayed in the “friends” lane—group workouts, casual Instagram DMs, the occasional like or comment. Then, in September 2022, I went on a trip to Springfield, MO with my friend Francine to watch Christina Merlo compete at HOA. Out of nowhere, Jace messaged me: “Trip to Springfield? Thanks for the invite!” I laughed at the randomness, apologized for the lack of an invite, and thought nothing more of it—until he started messaging more often. A few more likes, some playful comments… and then one day, he asked, “Maybe one of these days when we don’t have our kids, we could go to a movie, or dinner, or hiking or something?” I was so caught off guard that I had to ask Francine if she thought he was actually flirting. Personally, I’d always thought Jace was the whole package—strong, funny, kind, handsome, and so engaging. But I also thought he was out of my league, so his messages felt surreal. Still, I said yes. We spent weeks texting and chatting until October 18, 2022—our first date. We both showed up in workout clothes, and he took me to see Smile. I adore horror movies. He does not. But there he was, watching one with me, which made me like him even more. A few weeks later, on November 9, 2022—right before a planned hiking trip to Devil’s Den—I couldn’t wait any longer. I asked, “Sooooo… would it make you uncomfortable if I called you my boyfriend? Or am I old and people don’t use labels anymore?” Turns out, his goal from the very beginning was to be in a relationship with me—he’d even planned to ask me on that hike. But, true to form, I beat him to it. That day, we made it official. Three months later, I knew I loved him. Now, nearly three years after that first “official” day, we’re tying the knot—on the very same date we became a couple. November 9th will forever be our anniversary, our wedding day, and the start of our next chapter.