The halls

We first crossed paths in September of 2015, in the laundry room of Woodland Hall at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Two nervous freshmen, both just trying to settle into a new chapter of life, never could have imagined that a simple chore would introduce us to the love of our lives. At first, we were hesitant and unsure if we were ready for something so real, so quickly, and at such a young age. But once our paths aligned, there was no turning back. We became inseparable, and with each passing day, our lives wove closer together until it was hard to even remember a time when we weren’t side by side. College tested us in ways we never expected. We shared laughter, late-night adventures, and milestones that shaped who we are. We also faced heartbreak that forever changed us. Bennie lost his mother in April of 2017, and Jayla lost hers in January of 2021. In the midst of grief, we held onto each other even tighter. Time and again, we discovered that the struggles that could have broken us only drew us closer together. Our love became a safe place, a foundation that grew stronger each time life tried to shake it. On June 27, 2021, Bennie asked me to be his wife. The day had been gloomy, with heavy clouds hanging in the sky. But the moment he dropped to one knee, the clouds parted and sunlight broke through. In that instant, it felt as though our angels were watching, blessing the moment and shining down on us. It was the beginning of our forever. That same year, on October 25, 2021, we stood together at the City Hall in downtown Chicago and said yes to forever. Outside, protests filled the streets as workers pushed back against COVID restrictions and the call to return to work. Police swarmed the area, but in a twist of fate, the officers gave us a personal escort through the chaos so we could marry. And in true us fashion, our first meal as husband and wife was tacos. It was unconventional, unforgettable, and absolutely perfect. In 2022, we made the difficult decision to leave Chicago and return to the Glen Carbon Edwardsville area, the place where it all began. It wasn’t an easy transition, but like every chapter before, we faced it together. We came through with more resilience, more gratitude, and more certainty that we were exactly where we were meant to be. Our story is one of love and strength, of joy and of loss, of holding on tightly through every high and every low. From that first meeting in a laundry room to the life we are building today, our love has been steady and unshakable. It has grown with us, carried us, and remains the truest thing we know. And now, almost four years later married and nearly a decade together, we want to celebrate our love surrounded by the people who mean the most to us, not just looking back on how far we’ve come, but forward to all that is still ahead.