Our story began at a high school graduation party. It was a night filled with excitement and anticipation, a time to celebrate the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. We didn’t have much of an interaction that night, but there was a moment—just a brief one—when we found ourselves at the same table, playing Apples to Apples. Alec’s quick wit and offbeat sense of humor immediately caught my attention. His random answers to the game’s prompts made me laugh in a way no one else seemed to understand, but I couldn't help it—I loved it. Even though we didn’t talk much beyond the game, I could tell there was something different about him. Something that stuck with me long after the night was over. Fast forward seven months to New Year’s Eve. A group of us from high school had decided to reunite and ring in the new year at the same house where we’d all gathered for the graduation party. As soon as I walked in, I spotted Alec across the room, and the second our eyes met, everything just clicked. Without missing a beat, we started talking—no awkward small talk, just an easy, natural conversation that felt as if no time had passed. In that moment, I knew this was something special. We spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing, and by the time the clock struck midnight, I was secretly hoping that we would meet again. Karissa and Sam then played match- maker - and it turns out the feelings there were mutual. On 1/1/2017 we began to talk and plan our first date and he has been my person ever since. Looking back, it’s amazing to think that Karissa and Sam played such a big role in our story, making sure we’d meet again when the timing was right. Their support and encouragement led us to this beautiful journey, and we couldn’t be more grateful for it. From that New Year’s Eve forward, we’ve made countless memories together, and we are so excited to continue writing our story—together, forever.