The first thing I ever said to Ian Morton was "I like your National shirt." We were in line at the Great Hall in college, and he doesn't remember it at all. I was a freshman at Covenant College, an anxious eighteen-year-old with a passion for writing and for sad music. Ian would wander campus, wearing the giant black headphone, black skinny jeans, and band shirts that comprised his early college uniform. I knew we had similar music taste, but I was too shy to initiate a friendship beyond that awkward compliment. 
We didn't become friends until my junior year of college. I was in Oxford, England that fall, studying Aesthetics at the end of 2019. One day, my friend David texted me an update that he'd become friends with Ian Morton, and I was pleased. 
Once I got back from Oxford, I got reacquainted with Ian, and eventually grilled him about his favorite National albums.

In 2020, Ian and I became close friends; I stalked his playlists and stole songs from him, and we created joint playlists and started going to concerts together. I helped him and David and Joseph move into an apartment downtown, and I hung around often. In 2021, Ian and I often saw each other at parties and bars with mutual friends. We would volunteer to walk to the liquor store near his apartment together so that we could catch up, and ask about each other's relationships, families, and jobs. I spent time at Ian's house, and, by 2022, had become fast friends with all of his sisters—Caroline and I were friends first, from school, and then Hannah, Cate, Ian, and I went to see Wolf Alice (a band I'd introduced Ian to) in the spring of 2022. Hannah was about to go to college, so Ian kept me updated on how she was doing with the transition, and we hung out before she headed to school. I admired Ian’s loyalty to his friends and family, his intentionality with his sisters, his sense of humor, and his impressive (and growing) record collection. I counted him as a good friend—the sort you trusted because they would listen to anything and offer thoughtful, measured input.

In late August 2022, I texted Ian to ask if he wanted to catch up. We had a delightful time, and I texted my best friend Abbs that we had a problem—I was definitely flirting. She was very excited, noting that she always thought that we would be cute together. We texted near-constantly for weeks, until I finally mustered up the courage to invite him out for drinks one night. He picked me up, we chose a spot, and we only beat around the bush for a few minutes before admitting we had feelings for each other. We started dating shortly thereafter, to the delight of my sister Flannery and Ian’s sisters.

After more than two years of dating, Ian proposed on December 22nd, 2024. I'm so grateful and excited for the life we're planning together. Ian is wise, kind, communicative, loyal, funny, and caring. One of my favorite things is making him laugh. Thank you to everyone who's been a part of our story—mine, Ian's, or ours together. We love you and are so grateful for your care and support.