I first met Marlie on July 26, 2015, at Wall Doxey State Park during our Confirmation church retreat—which also happened to fall on her birthday. On the day she turned sixteen, I led a group of young boys in singing “Happy Birthday” to her over and over again, all in an effort to get her attention. It worked. Not long after, in a moment that would quietly foreshadow our future together, Marlie and I walked down the church aisle side by side as we were confirmed in the Catholic faith. At the time, I had no idea what God had in store for us, but looking back now, I can see that my prayers were already being answered. Over the decade that followed—from our first date at the Peabody Rooftop to the day I proposed at the Peabody Hotel—our love and faith continued to grow hand in hand. We grew up together, learning, changing, and supporting one another through every season of life. Now, as young adults, we have made the ultimate commitment to one another by choosing marriage. I am endlessly grateful for where our story began and cannot wait to celebrate this next chapter of our lives together, surrounded by the people we love most.