If someone had told me back then how this would all unfold, I probably would’ve laughed, nervously nodded, and gone back to overthinking a Twitter message. Because on paper, our story wasn’t obvious. It didn’t follow a perfect outline or a predictable path. There was no dramatic movie moment or love-at-first-sight cliché. Just a bunch of small, seemingly random moments that slowly turned into something I couldn’t imagine life without. It all started with a 15-year-old kid — insecure, unsure, and trying to survive sophomore year choir class — needing a duet partner. Naturally, I did what any shy, socially limited teenager would do: I DMed a girl I barely knew… who I thought went to my school… and might be willing to sing with me. Turns out, she wasn’t even in the class. Or the school. So, off to a strong start. But somehow, that random message turned into a real conversation. Then another. And before long, I found myself constantly checking my phone for her name, hoping the thread kept going. A couple hangouts later, and I just knew. It wasn’t dramatic, it wasn’t loud — just this quiet certainty that everything had changed. We didn’t see life the same way back then. It took a little convincing on my part, and some denial on hers. But deep down, I think we both knew it was something more. On October 29, 2016, we made it official — two high school kids with no real clue what we were doing, but somehow holding on to something real. From then on, everything felt like a blur — in the best way. Being with her felt like getting a glimpse of the future. And that same feeling, that sense of “this is it,” would come rushing back at random times throughout the years. Every time, it felt like the first time all over again. Now let’s be honest — nine years is a long time. Like… a really long time. Enough time for awkward phases, ridiculous fashion choices, and two actual breakups. There were times we truly thought we’d reached the end of the road. We even tried to let each other go. But deep down, even in the silence and space, I never fully believed it was over. As someone who carried a lot of insecurity growing up, this relationship became the one thing I was absolutely sure of. Even when we were young and completely unqualified to make life decisions, something about her made me certain I didn’t want anything — or anyone — else. Getting to grow alongside each other has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. We’ve changed, stretched, struggled, and become better versions of ourselves — sometimes together, sometimes apart. But after all of it, 2024 came, and something just felt different. Like maybe God looked at us and said, “Now you’re ready.” So we tried again — for the third time — but this time with adult hearts, steady hands, and a little more wisdom. And suddenly… it felt like home. Asking the love of my life to marry me didn’t feel real in the moment. Even now, I’m still processing it. Nine years felt like a blink and a lifetime all at once. And somehow, God saw fit to give me someone this kind, this beautiful, this strong — and trust me to love her forever. That old, familiar feeling? It’s still here. It still sneaks up on me, and every time, it brings me right back to the beginning. The message. The knowing. The quiet certainty. There are so many words I could try to say. So many ways I could try to explain this journey. But right now, in this moment, the only thing I can think is: I can’t wait to do this forever, my love.