Our story began in March of 2018 in Colorado, while I was in graduate school at the University of Denver and Cory was working full time. We were both far from home, each having grown up in the Philadelphia area, and bonded quickly over shared roots, shared values, and an unwavering love for the Eagles. Our first date was brunch at Carbon Cafe, where we split chicken and waffles and then took a long walk afterward, talking without realizing how much time had passed. From that day on, we were pretty inseparable. Those early years were spent side by side, balancing school, work, and the everyday figuring out of adulthood together. Cory patiently taught me how to snowboard, which tested both my patience and his. I got frustrated more than once, but he stayed calm, encouraging, and steady. He loved the idea of having someone to share his favorite thing with, and that quiet patience became a theme in our life together. Along the way, we also discovered a shared love of travel, making memories everywhere from quick weekend getaways to longer adventures that shaped how we see the world and each other. Eventually, we moved in together, and in 2020 we welcomed Tegan. In October of 2021, we bought our first home, a place where we imagined growing our family and putting down roots of our own. When we decided we had room in our hearts for one more, we began trying for our second child at the end of 2023. At the ultrasound appointment that followed, I nearly fainted when we learned we were expecting two. In July of 2024, we welcomed Riley and Calvin. Through every surprise and every season, Cory has been a steady and loving presence, showing up fully and without hesitation. We did not take the traditional path. Our story did not begin with everything neatly in place, and we did not move through life in the expected order. While an easier road may have existed, we chose to show up for one another through uncertainty, stress, and challenge. It was in those moments, when things were hardest, that our partnership was shaped and strengthened. What we discovered was a love deeper and more resilient than anything we imagined possible, a commitment forged not by comfort, but by choosing each other again and again. What started with a simple first brunch date has grown into a life we are incredibly proud of, and we are so grateful to celebrate this next chapter with the people who mean the most to us. ♥ Rebecca