We first met during a brief exchange at The Saloon in downtown Ventura. It was nothing more than a passing moment but somehow it lingered. After that, we kept crossing paths at Mavericks gym, each of us too shy to start the conversation we both quietly hoped for. Months later, as Ireland prepared to move to Los Angeles for grad school, she decided to follow Elliot on Instagram. He followed back. Then, in March 2020, the world changed. Covid shut down in-person school and brought Ireland home to Ventura. During a socially distanced game of Wiffle Ball at the VanConas’ house, Ireland posted a photo to her Instagram story. Elliot noticed something familiar in the background — his mom’s house — and took it as his sign. He shamelessly slid into the DMs and this time the conversation finally began. A week later, in the quiet stillness of shutdown, we had our first date. We grabbed coffee at the only place open downtown (now Kapikat) and walked to the beach, talking for hours as we realized just how much we had in common. What started as a long-overdue conversation quickly became something deeper. From that point on, we were inseparable, navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic, grad school from home, and Elliot’s stretches away at work that sometimes lasted days or even weeks. The pandemic eventually ended but we didn’t. Six years later, we’re still choosing each other. We can’t wait to celebrate this incredible journey and the next chapter with all of you this October.