Corey and I met in a virtual Recovery Coach training through Recovery Coach University. I was actually supposed to take the class the month before, but my book launched publicly the very day it began, so I transferred to the next session. At the time, it felt like a scheduling conflict. Now, it feels like fate. We spent 30 hours together in that virtual space, and from the very beginning there was an instant spark. What started as shared class time quickly turned into texting, deeper conversations, and opening up about our stories. And if I’m being honest, I probably tried just about everything to get him to run. Instead, the opposite happened. The more I opened up, even the parts of me that would usually scare people away, the closer he got. There was no judgment, no pulling back, just understanding, presence, and a kind of love I hadn’t experienced before. A couple of weeks later, we decided to meet for coffee. That one date confirmed everything we had already felt. After that, we spent only about three days apart before making plans to see each other again, and we have been together every day since. From the very beginning, Corey stepped into my life and loved Avery as if she was his own. It was never forced or questioned, it was just who he is. As our life grew together, so did everything we were building. Not only did we step fully into our careers, with me even being vetted to become a facilitator with RCU, but we were also given the most beautiful and unexpected surprise of all, our son. We couldn’t agree on a first name for him, but we knew his name had to mean something. Corey’s parents have both passed, and although I will never have the blessing of meeting the people who raised such a resilient, loving, and incredible man, we chose to honor them. Juda was named after his mom, Judith, “Judy,” and we gave him my grandfather’s middle name, using a spelling that reflects my roots. His name carries both of our histories, love, and legacy. Our love has been tested in ways that could have easily broken us. Recovery challenges, a near-death experience during the birth of our son, financial struggles as we held on tightly and chose to pursue our dream of building a business to help others, and even the quiet battles, like body image and identity. When we met, we were both what we considered our “best selves.” Then life happened quickly. Pregnancy, illness, and 21 months of nursing made it nearly impossible for me to return to that version of myself. And through all of it, he loved me anyway. Fully. Without hesitation. He still does. What started in a virtual classroom became a life built on resilience, growth, and a love that has proven itself over and over again. Through everything, we have chosen each other, every single day. We didn’t just fall in love, we fought for it, grew through it, and chose it, every single day.