Our story begins long before we were born! Damon's parents, Jean and Patricia, met Clare's parents, Chris and Donna, while pursuing their PhDs at the University of New Mexico, and quickly became close friends. Years later, Damon’s family lived in Austin, TX, and Clare’s in Bend, OR. Throughout their childhoods, the Georges frequently visited the Raymonds in Bend. In 2011, when the Georges moved to Bend, they stayed with the Raymonds, and that’s when Clare and Damon first connected, engaging in playful middle-school flirting. One day, Damon nervously confessed to Clare that he liked her by whispering, “I like you,” in her ear, and then proceeded to sprint away as fast as he could, leaving her stunned. Clare, then, confessed to Damon that she also had a crush on him too! They ended up dating for three years through high school. When Damon went off to his freshman year at Gonzaga University (go Zags!), they attempted a long-distance relationship, but that didn't last long and they ended up breaking up. However, every summer when Damon would return home from college, he and Clare would always hang out with one another in secret (even though it probably wasn’t as big of a secret from their families as they thought)! Clare started her college years at community college in Bend and later transferred to Oregon State University (go Beavs!). While she was at OSU finishing her bachelor’s degree, Damon happened to join OSU to pursue his master’s in computer science. Eventually, the two reconnected and rekindled their relationship, and have now been together ever since, celebrating five years in March 2025! After Damon earned his master's degree in 2021, they moved to Seattle, where they adopted a sweet kitty named Theo. This past year, they relocated to Issaquah, just 25-30 minutes east of Seattle, where they can be closer to the mountains and out of the hustle and bustle of Seattle. To this day, their dads are best friends and the two families hang out all the time, living just a few minutes apart from one another, in Bend. We’re so excited about this new milestone in our lives and can’t wait to celebrate with all of you! Clare & Damon