Our first meeting was no romantic "meet-cute!" Picture two awkward middle schoolers. Sitting next to each other (not by choice) in our 6th grade social studies class. Neither of them particularly impressed by the other. Fast forward a couple years to high school, where two slightly less awkward teens had a new friendship growing due to shared classes, mixed friend groups, and being part of the Cross Country team. Now, junior year of High School has arrived and with it, Junior Prom! Having now become more aware that he had a growing crush, she secretly hoped he might pluck of the courage and ask her...but no such luck. He preceded to regret this, watching her dance around in her gold dress through the night. Luckily, it was not too long after this that he asked her on a date and the two got to know each other better over Panera soup and sandwiches. It was not until the second date, where the two spent an afternoon cuddled together watching Star Wars on May the 4th (get it? May the "fourth" be with you), that they shared their first kiss and decided to keep seeing one another. From there time flew by, from Senior Prom (don't worry, he asked her that time) to graduating high school and heading off to their respective colleges. After college, Thomas made the decision to move with Christina to New Haven, CT while she completed her Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program. There, they battled snowy winters, ate good ramen, and hunkered down together during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Fast forward to now, nearly 11 years since that first kiss, and they are about to embark on life's next great journey together.