Our story begins back in the 7th grade at Santan Junior High, where an award-winning outside linebacker (Emily) and a quarterback (Chad) ended up on the same flag football team. Yes, you read that right—flag football. Emily was one of the only girls on the team, and Chad thought that was pretty awesome. After practice, Chad would come up and talk to Emily and still remembers what color backpack she had (yellow JanSport). Little did we know we’d be forging the beginning of a friendship that would grow in ways we never expected. That friendship carried on through our years at Perry High School, where we shared many mutual friends and memories. Some of these memories took place right in Emily’s backyard (our wedding venue). Life took us in different directions after graduation—Emily headed to Colorado for college, and Chad stayed in Arizona, always cheering her on from afar. Years later, fate decided it wasn't finished with us yet. When Emily moved back to Arizona, they reconnected. What started as a casual catch-up quickly turned into something deeper. The laughs were still there, the friendship had never really faded, and before long, we realized that what we had was something worth holding onto. From middle school teammates to lifelong teammates—our story came full circle. And now, we're so excited to begin this next chapter together.