I first met Kelly in Memphis at a social event hosted by UT prior to starting medical school. The event intended to orient new students to campus and allow us to meet our new classmates before we started medical school together. I busted through the front doors looking like a wet hen. I went to Beale Street the night before and had packed an extra pair of clothes but not a single thought to pack an umbrella. I knew what I was doing all along, and I knew it had been a good idea because Kelly giggled at the sight of me. We had been given time to tour the campus on our own, and I found Kelly lost in the basement floor of the building. She was quite pretty and as sweet as can be. I told Kelly I was lost too and that maybe we could find our way together. She agreed and we found the rest of our future classmates. We got separated when some dude wouldn't stop bragging to me about his nerdy accomplishments. Meanwhile I was wondering where in the hell Kelly was. Well, I finally found her. She was walking around and talking to some guy. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous. I puffed my chest out and eventually talked to Kelly a bit more. I thought about her that night, and my eyes lit up when she added me on Facebook. Call it common sense, call it audacity, but I call it taking a damn hint. I messaged her, and a day hasn't gone by without me talking to her ever since. I used to sit out on the front porch and listen to country songs about love while texting her, secretly imagining her being mine. It didn't take long until our first date in Chattanooga. Then I drove seven hours to visit her in Chapel Hill. To her mother, I was "the friend from Chattanooga." To me, Kelly was quickly becoming everything. Next thing I knew, medical school started and we're studying together every day. Studying turned into dates and eventually I asked her to be my girlfriend at midnight on New Years as 2020 began a new year, and a new era of my life. As third year medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic we wrangled up feral cats together to keep as pets (that's when you know you're in deep). We did our pediatrics clinical rotation together, and I just sat in awe in of how brilliant she was. In comparison, she made me look like my real job was selling sea shells by the sea shore instead of practicing medicine. However, every good story has its dramatic climax. Eventually we had a decision to make. In medicine, we all match into residency programs. It's basically risking the trajectory of your career in the name of love. Well, we were ready to risk it. Thankfully, we ended up together in Atlanta just as we hoped. Over the years we've gone on countless road trips and many vacations. We've met each other's closest friends and families, cheered at baseball games, taken care of each other when we've drank too much, and witnessed several of our closest friends get married. Kelly is the love of my life and my best friend. She puts up with my meat and potatoes diet and my extraordinary affection for whiskey, and she has outlasted six different vehicles I've purchased since we started dating; mostly new trucks. Whoops, she knows I'm not a financial guru. Y'all don't need me to tell you that she's the kindest, prettiest, funniest, and smartest woman I've ever met. I am so proud of her and I love to show her off. She praises me endlessly for skills I know of which are mediocre (such as playing the guitar). I run every decision by her, even confirming with her that a routine email "sounds okay." I'm interested in what she has to say and her thoughts about the books she reads. I love her cooking despite the well-known fact I eat like a child. I trust her with anything, and I love her more than anything. Y'all don't understand how thrilled we are that you will be in our presence when we say, "I do." It will be one of the most important and happiest days of our lives, and we're humbly grateful you will be there to enjoy it with us. - Gary Wiley