Blake and I met back in 2019 when he was working at our local Panda Express. I walked in with some friends and immediately noticed the cute boy serving orange chicken behind the counter. He took my order and rang me up… but forgot my fortune cookie (tragic, honestly). When I went back up to ask for one, he was supposedly very nervous and responded by handing me a massive handful of fortune cookies! I always joke and say it was love at first cookie. After my friends and I left, Blake asked one of his coworkers - who happened to be one of my classmates - what my name was. Since Blake was a year younger than I, our timing wasn’t quite right, and not long after, I left for college. We had each other’s numbers, but life happened, and we barely talked. Then the dreaded COVID-19 hit, and I was sent home from my first year of college. While most of the world would rather forget that season, I’ll always be grateful for it - because it led me back to Blake, the love of my life. We officially started dating on September 8, 2020. Shortly after, Blake joined the United States Navy and left for boot camp. What followed were five years of long distance, countless phone calls, time zone math, tearful goodbyes, and joyful reunions. It wasn’t always easy, but through every challenge, our love only grew stronger. We learned patience. We learned how to support each other from miles away. We learned how to celebrate even the smallest moments. In June of 2025, Blake asked me to spend forever with him in the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. It was peaceful, breathtaking, and absolutely perfect - just the two of us surrounded by God’s creation. Of course, I said yes. In October 2025, Blake transitioned from active duty to the reserves and finally moved back home to Illinois. Since then, we’ve been soaking up every moment together and making even more memories - this time without a countdown clock or a goodbye date. We are incredibly blessed that God brought us together - from a Panda Express counter, to the mountains of Wyoming, to forever. We are so excited to begin this next chapter of our lives as husband and wife, and we can’t wait to see what adventures come next.