We had been texting for about three weeks before Ham Days, but had never officially met. With our busy schedules and the chaos of school, that weekend felt like the perfect moment for our paths to finally cross. Ham Days 2019 was filled with the energy of small-town celebration—running into old friends, sharing laughs, and soaking in the warm September night. As the evening went on, we kept narrowly missing each other. It was getting late on Saturday, and just when we thought it might not happen… there we were. I (Brandon) was instantly nervous. There she stood—Mayte, more beautiful than I imagined, glowing in a simple white shirt. I tried to play it cool, but my heart was racing. Our first few words echoed the conversations we’d had in text, now finally spoken in person. We were both just feeling out the spark that had been growing between us. Then, in the blink of an eye, the moment slipped. A friend bumped into me, and the full whiskey and Coke in my hand spilled—right onto her. Her white shirt wasn’t white anymore, and just like that, our first meeting ended as quickly as it began. It would take six more months—and a global pandemic—for us to find our second chance. And from that second chance, something extraordinary began. Now, here we are, writing the next chapter of our story—together, forever.