To new beginnings...

She arrived at the pool with her sister and friends, home from college for the summer and ready for a little fun in the sun. He was on duty that day, keeping watch from his lifeguard stand, when she walked by. With an easy smile, he called out, “How old are you?” Without missing a beat, she answered, “19,” and kept walking—leaving him both amused and completely intrigued. From his perch, he couldn’t help but watch her from afar. Turning to his fellow lifeguard, he said simply, “I like her.” And just like that, he dove in—literally—swimming straight over to where she was. What followed was effortless and light: a little dancing in the water, easy conversation, and a spark neither of them thought too much of at the time. Summer faded, and she returned to school, but somehow, they didn’t drift apart. For the next two years, they stayed in touch, building something steady and meaningful across the distance. When she finally graduated, the timing was right—and the rest, as they say, is history.