Charles and I met in Virginia while we were both stationed on the USS Gerald R. Ford. At the time, I was his supervisor, so romance definitely wasn’t part of the plan. That changed one night after a friendly (and very competitive) game of Phase 10—one I proudly won. After that, we started talking more, laughing more, and slowly realizing there was something special between us. What began as casual conversations quickly grew into something deeper, and on November 16, 2020, we officially started our journey together. Eventually, I took a leap of faith and followed my heart all the way to California to be with him. That decision led us here today, and it was the best one I could have made. As we begin this new chapter in our lives, we are so excited for what the future holds. We’re grateful for the journey that brought us together and can’t wait to continue building a life filled with love, laughter, and shared adventures.