It was a night out in Wilmington at a bar, Growlers. My best friend and bridesmaid, Addie, invited me to her boyfriend's birthday celebration, and he had brought a group of his closest friends, all from Fayetteville, and all in the military. Ryan was one of them. Addie and her boyfriend introduced us, and to be honest, neither of us were exactly rushing to talk to the other. We entertained the idea, mostly out of politeness... and somehow those simple and awkward conversations turned into something neither of us expected. From the very beginning, I had convinced myself I wouldn't meet my future husband at a bar or marry someone in the military. God must have giggled at my plan, because I ended up doing both. And Ryan? He once thought he'd never really settle down or talk seriously to a girl... and now here we are. What started as a casual yet kinda forced introduction turned into long talks, long distance, and a love that has only grown deeper with time. Even though we imagined very different lifestyles for ourselves, God knew from the start what we couldn't see yet, that we were made for each other. And we wouldn't change a single part of our story.