Our story starts with laughter. Both of them do. Rachel’s version might start with, “I first met Sam when he was in Devos Fieldhouse and he tripped up the stairs on the way to work. No, correction...he fell up the stairs to work. He was walking with two of MY friends and all I could think was, ‘Who the heck is this kid?’” Now I can vouch for Rachel, that DID happen. I sometimes forget to pick up my feet but how in the world does that count as us meeting for the first time? She didn’t even talk to me. Just laughed. Thus, I thought I’d tell my side of the story.

Rachel and I worked together for three years in the Hope College Ticket Office. The first year I was but a blip on Rachel’s radar. She was too cool for me and I was a wee dorky freshman. Not to mention I was loud, waaay into the sports that I worked, and knew too many people for her liking. Extrovert vs. introvert, am I right? But hey- opposites really do attract. Naturally she couldn’t stay away from me for very long. The following year we were given office hours together every week and co-managed different events on Hope’s campus. Sometimes we were stuck inside a tiny ticket box in the rain at the soccer stadium and other times we were forced to endure the musical fanatics who came for concerts. As you may know I enjoy talking and if I’m working with someone for that long a period of time, naturally I was going to wear them down. I cracked jokes, pulled pranks, asked questions, did Buzzfeed quizzes...I mean I tried everything to get this silent girl to talk to me. And finally she did.

I don’t remember what day she cracked but when she did, SHE was the one who couldn’t stop talking. But I didn’t mind because a friendship that had been silently planted was suddenly blossoming. We became fast friends throughout the next year, despite only hanging out at work. The following summer Rachel was working in the ticket office with one of my buddies, Michael, and I went to visit the both of them. I walked in and she was wearing a stunning red dress. My friend wasn’t only hilarious, kind, and thoughtful but she was gorgeous too! My feelings for her lasted into the following year and as much as I tried to suppress them they only grew. We began to hang out more outside of work and even went on a couple “double dates” with friends. We’d go on long walks and just talk endlessly for hours. We became each others trusted confidants and best friends. One day during one of our walks she basically forced me to tell her that I liked her. My biggest fear about dating her was having to do long distance for two semesters. I admire Rachel so much for many reasons but one of them is the risk she took and the trust she had in our relationship. She knew that we would have to do long distance for 8 months while I was in Washington D.C. and Ecuador and yet she stuck with me. And here we are, almost four years later, and looking forward to getting re-married!