Jack and I met as first graders at Franklin Road Academy in Nashville, but it wasn’t until an 8th-grade Spanish project (and some quality time on Club Penguin) that we really started talking. One thing led to another, and here we are—almost 12 years later! College took us on a five-year long-distance adventure, but eventually, we reunited in New York City, where we’ve built a life together with our dog, Tito, and our cat, Honey.

If you know us, you know we tend to do things last minute, so planning a trip to Hawaii in advance definitely wouldn't be our style. I met Jack after a work trip to celebrate Valentine's Day and my birthday. Jack was eager to be active, while I was more in the mood to lounge on the beach with a book. So, we compromised—beach time in the sun, followed by a sunset hike. Little did we know, it had been raining all day where we were headed, so after 40 minutes of slipping and sliding uphill, we finally reached the top, muddy shoes and hands in tow (and no, I didn’t complain once!). That’s when Jack surprised me with the proposal, completely catching me off guard. Here’s to many more fun and spontaneous adventures together!