It’s funny how life works out. Growing up, we were always just a few steps apart. Ryan lived behind Daniela’s aunt and uncle and played with her cousins, and she was often over there too. Somehow, we never really crossed paths as kids. Years later, we finally met at Daniela’s aunt & uncle’s Fourth of July barbecue. It was a short, slightly awkward encounter that left Daniela with a little crush. The following semester, we had AP Spanish together. Too nervous to talk then, we didn’t truly connect until after college at a Georgia football tailgate that the friends and family invited them to. That’s when we realized there was something special between us and really hit it off. We discovered our new apartments were just across the street from each other, and soon we were talking for hours on our first dates. On our fourth date, a hurricane forced us to take cover on Daniela’s apartment patio. As the water started rising, Ryan jumped into action. He was moving rugs, unplugging electronics, and clearing drains while she watched in awe and shock. That’s when we realized we were meant for each other. Not long after, we even walked together in Daniela’s cousin’s wedding, who was the same cousin he had played with growing up. Funnily enough, her cousin had even thought about pairing us up to walk down the aisle together that day. Little did he know, fate already had that covered. Now, after all those almost-crossed paths and chance encounters, we know every step led us exactly where we were meant to be.