We met early on in Megan’s freshman year at UAH and quickly became friends. We hung out with the same friend group, and often had deep conversations with each other. We were great partners in games, and we were always very kind to each other. Once, Ryan gave Megan his jacket when we were waiting with our friends outside a restaurant. This caught Megan’s attention, but we still just saw each other as good friends. We maintained a solid friendship for over five years through a spring break trip, chance encounters on campus, and friends’ weddings. On New Year’s Eve of 2020, we got a chance to catch up after having not seen each other for over a year. We were there for a wedding, and we were both in the bridal party. Over the course of the weekend, we had several of our classic thought-provoking and emotional talks. After the festivities, Ryan mentioned to the group that they should come visit him in Florida. Megan already had plans to visit her sister in Orlando during spring break and said she’d try to meet up while she was in town. A few months later, Ryan texted Megan to see if she was still coming down and what her plans were for the trip. That changed everything. We started texting regularly, leading Megan to call Ryan and talk for a couple hours one night. A couple days later we had another phone call, and we’ve talked every day since. We soon became well acquainted with the Huntsville and Orlando airports, making an effort to see each other as much as we could. Throughout our calls and visits, our relationship grew into something beautiful. We built a foundation on compassion, communication, and vulnerability. We learned how to support each other and love each other in the way we each wanted to be loved. Megan got a new teaching job and moved to Florida to be with Ryan. We knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.

In late October, the proposal came. When Megan visited in Florida, we would often go to a local fountain after dates and eat ice cream on the same bench. Ryan planned a date that ended there again, and had the ring tucked in a jacket pocket. There was a slight chill that night. Ryan gave Megan his jacket, like he had over five years ago. When they arrived at the bench, Ryan (awkwardly) pulled the ring out of the pocket and got down on one knee. She said yes!