July 1, 2014 I had just accepted my first nursing job as a brand-new registered nurse and called my big brother to share the news. He told me to come downtown and celebrate with him and some friends at The Sardine Room in Plymouth. When I walked in, I recognized my brother and a few familiar faces, but there was also a guy I had never met before. He had a really good haircut and immediately started making fun of me. He copied the way I flipped my hair and generally gave me a hard time. It was completely infuriating. Here I was—a very big deal, fresh off landing my first nursing job—and this guy was mocking me. Eventually, he went outside for a cigarette (which tells you exactly how long ago this was), and I reluctantly joined him. Parked outside was a beautiful Maserati convertible, and we joked about stealing it. Looking back, that probably should have been a red flag, but instead it made me laugh. Later that night, we ended up at karaoke. He sang "Sexual Healing" and brought the house down. About three hours after meeting him, as I was getting ready to leave, he asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?" I replied, "No. I've been flirting with you all night." After a smirk and a very long pause, I asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?" The audacity. "Yes." And that was the beginning of our story. Over the next twelve years, we were best friends, partners, exes, supporters, and everything in between. We navigated breakups, heartbreak, addiction, recovery, growth, and countless ups and downs. No matter where life took us, we always found a way to stay in touch and cheer each other on from near or far. Then, on a June evening in 2023, Matt asked if I wanted to have dinner with him. I thought, Absolutely not. I was sober. Healthy. Thirty-six years old. There was no chance I was getting back together with an ex-boyfriend. But I said yes. And it turned out to be the first of many yeses. When I sat down across from him that night, it felt like the boy I had known had grown into a confident, mature, sober man while somehow keeping every bit of his charm, humor, and wit. He had changed. So had I. Since that evening, I have kept saying yes. Yes to choosing each other. Yes to buying our home. Yes to becoming parents to our fur babies 🦮🐈‍⬛🦮 And finally, yes to becoming his wife. Looking back, every detour, every lesson, every heartbreak, and every year in between led us here. Some things are worth the wait.