Skylar and I are best friends that chose to fall in love. We met at our church bible study small group. The small group started out as just him and his twin brother, Casey, until I came along. Skylar jokes that we put the "small" in small groups since 2019. Skylar also claims I made an impression the day he met me and can remember exactly what I was wearing and what he was doing. I don't remember any of it (whoops!) except that he was solving a physics equation on the white board (I think?). Over the course of our small group covid experience, Skylar became my best friend. We went from talking every once in a while and seeing each other every week in small group, to him joining my book club, talking almost every other day, and looking forward to seeing each other every week. He was the person I talked to about everything and could be my absolute self with. We talked about deep theological things, weekly prayer requests, silly things and big-idea things. When I spent most of Summer 2021 traveling I realized that it was Skylar I wanted to share all my experiences with. I constantly found myself texting him pictures of things that reminded me of him, or a story I wanted to share, a theological idea I was wrestling with, or a view that was breathtaking. I realized that Skylar was the person I trusted most, laughed with constantly, and wanted to share everyday things with. It wasn't until a few weeks later that a conversation took an unexpected turn into the topic of our dreams for the future and what we wanted. The very next day Skylar asked me out on our first date! I was a little stunned at first but after a few moments of shocked silence I said “yes”. From that time on, it's been a great adventure. My best friend became the love of my life. He is more than I could ask or image and is all that the Lord had promised and more. It is my joy and honor to do all of life with him. I’m so excited!

Kaley and I met in 2019 rather inconspicuously – her being told she might be in the wrong small group and being shown to ours, me working a homework set because I needed a whiteboard. It took all of 10 seconds to realize there was something intriguing about her; and as we transitioned to virtual groups and I got to hear her thoughts and passions and heart, I knew I had to get to know her more. During months of texting silly quotes, deep theological questions, and life goals, Kaley became my best friend and the person I wanted to share everything with. But it was her book club, and then staying hours afterwards just to talk and feeling that I could completely be myself around her, and laugh, ponder, share our same faith, and question together, that made me realize that my feelings weren’t only that she was my best friend, but the person I wanted to spend every day with for the rest of my life. Asking her out remains the single most terrifying thing I’ve done – realizing that with a few words, our relationship would change forever, one way or another – and it took three attempts to get the words out. But afterwards, I discovered that not only did I get to keep my best friend, but she became the person I love more than anything or anyone. Kaley is so much more than I could ever have asked or imagined! Loving her has been the best adventure and happiest part of my life, and I can’t wait to do every single day with her, for the rest of our lives.