We've known each other since we were kids in the same 2nd-grade class at Greenville Elementary. Over the next 10 years, through middle and high school, we never truly met until October 2020. We were busy growing up and living separate lives in the same school. I was interested in Evan because he was a talented diver, so I made the first move. On our first date, we got to-go chips and queso, and we talked for hours while the food got cold. When the pandemic kept everyone apart, we grew closer. We knew we loved each other very early on. Our senior year of high school was full of ups and downs. We were there for each other through the big changes. We both lost loved ones, and the world was in unprecedented times. When Evan had his first knee surgery, he had to quit diving and start over. I decided against moving away for college and to let my roots grow in the hometown I love with the friends, family, and the boy I love. We were each other's new beginnings. We got our first apartment in Clarksville while I went to the University of Louisville. Evan worked at the car dealership and the hospital, and I worked in restaurants and catering. We saved up to buy our first home in October 2022 and adopted our beloved cat, Blossom, that Christmas. New Albany has become the place we call home, but Evan is the person I call home. I can't wait to get married this October, surrounded by all of our loved ones, five years since we started dating, and three years since we bought our first home. Everything always lines up perfectly with you. October will always be our time to reflect and remember all the years full of love and growth together.