As a result of friend encouragement and boredom, Josh and I met on Tinder on January 5th, 2021. Neither of us were ready for a relationship, but we quickly became good friends- We literally talked all day, every day. After several months of this, Josh started asking to meet up. Me, being the person I was, kept saying I was just sooo busy, when really, I was too scared to meet up with anyone. But finally, after eight "short" months of talking virtually, I got the courage to meet Josh under two conditions: It couldn’t be at my house, and I had to bring a friend… because you never know who might be a serial killer. Turns out, he wasn’t a serial killer, and we ended up having the best night driving around in circles and blasting music together. A few weeks later, we both moved to Charlotte, NC for college. Josh immediately became my safe place, telling me he was always just one call away if needed. On my very first night there I took him up on it, and that late-night drive around uptown Charlotte turned into many, many more. After plenty of drives, and stubbornness on my part, I finally admitted I liked him!! From then on, we were inseparable. Josh asked me to be his girlfriend on October 8th, 2021, and most of our nights were spent cooking together between my dorm and his apartment. We still have our designated cook nights to this day! We turn on some music, pour a glass of wine, and make a delicious meal together. The only difference now, is that we can cook a little better than just microwaving ramen noodles and adding pan-seared Vienna sausages with shredded cheese. On June 10th, 2023, we moved in together to the best apartment... but something was missing. Soon after, Josh made the mistake of saying “I think you’ll just have to get a dog without telling me, because I don’t think I’ll ever say I’m ready” (Oops). After only two weeks post-statement and a 24 hour notice for Josh, we brought home our bestest boy, Zuko! Don’t worry, Josh only had a few panic attacks- and now Zuko is his best buddy. Over these years, we’ve grown in so many ways together through travel, new jobs, being pawrents, new experiences, and all of life’s other challenges and changes. As a result, on July 18th, 2025, Josh proposed in our favorite place, Reynolda! We took our very first photos there, go on many coffee and brunch dates there, walk Zuko there frequently, and Josh even had the ring custom-made at the jeweler in the village (shoutout RingMaster)! It was a hot, humid evening, so we had a simple picnic date planned. I set up my phone to record a TikTok I wanted to make (lol), and while I was distracted, Josh pulled out the ring. I was completely shocked (flawless execution by Josh). I had wanted it to happen for a long time, and spent way too many date nights waiting for it, so I had told myself not to get my hopes up that day. And of course, that’s when it happened! We laughed, I cried, and Zuko ate our charcuterie (big gouda guy, just like his dad). It was truly the perfect evening. We’re so proud of the growth we've experienced and the life we’ve built together thus far, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us from here! Cheers to many more laughs, cook nights, trips, and milestones! – Leah & Josh