It was 2018, in the middle of their senior year at Quantico High School, when Ryan and Olivia locked eyes for the very first time. They met in Economics class, and by God's grace, Olivia was assigned as Ryan’s tutor on their taxes assignment. Little did they know that five years later Ryan would be doing their taxes, with Olivia spending all their money on furniture for their new home. Not sure who got the better end of the deal… Like a classic Nicholas Sparks novel, the highschool graduates began a whirlwind summer love and quickly became inseparable. Three short months later, their perfect summer came to an end and Olivia was whisked away to spend the next four years at a university in Florida. Ryan stayed behind counting down the days for her to come back home and Olivia saved every penny for her next flight back to him. While others may have fled at the thought of a long distance relationship (especially one lasting 4 years!), these two were determined to fight for their love. Every night was spent on Facetime dates (some lasting until 4am!) as the two fell more in love with each other, only proving that distance truly made the heart grow fonder. One of their favorite memories is of the first night Olivia returned home from college. They had not seen each other in over six months and Ryan arrived two hours early to pick her up from the airport and stopped traffic with his truck just to run and kiss her. Horns honked and staff yelled yet, time stopped for the couple and it seemed like there was no one else in the world. Time spent together was a cherished gift from God, but in a way, so was the sacrifice of loving each other despite the distance. Ryan and Olivia were not only able to nurture their connection with each other through this, but also strengthened their relationship with God as they learned to fully trust and lean on Him in those times of uncertainty. Through their time apart they learned what it truly meant to live out 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. Ryan and Olivia want their relationship to be an example of the power of God’s love to overcome any challenge. With God’s help, they really understood that love truly never fails. Through fear, insecurity, time zone changes, starting their adult lives, four months of USMC basic training (with no contact and COVID 19), Jesus’s example of sacrifice and bearing one another's burdens gave them the strength to carry on. God is a good God who loves to give his children good gifts and He has truly poured out his blessings on these two. From spending every summer together, vacationing to Costa Rica, visiting seven states together, relaxing on Florida beaches, dancing the night away at USMC Balls, partying it up in D.C. every weekend and soon to be moving to Southern California as a married couple, this relationship has truly been one for the books! And the story has only just begun…