We said "I do!" but we missed YOU!

Matthew and I met as dorky long haired 10-year-olds with braces. He was my best friend's goofy guy friend (go, Natalie!), and I was new to the area and just grateful to have kids my age to hang out with.

We were the high school sweethearts no one thought would make it! We don't blame them, it's hard to explain feeling like you found your person at 13 years old, but through it all, here we are! It's crazy to think that was over ten years ago! Since then, we've been growing up together. After finishing high school, we both attended Florida State University - this was the first time we had ever gone to school together, which we think is part of why this all worked out! College was a learning experience in more ways than one, and our time at FSU taught us a lot about who we wanted to be both individually and together. Through it all, we kept our support systems from home and continued to add to our community of friends and family, including the addition of the one and only Thor!

The shift from FSU to Boone, NC was a BIG one. It was the first time we were long-distance, and I was away from home. Living on our own was important, and it reminded us that we have to choose each other every day, love is not a given. Along the way, we really stopped to think about each step of our journey, what would make us both happy. In all our choices, we kept choosing each other. Then, we finally moved in and found out what patience and acceptance really mean. It was an adjustment but one that Matthew always made fun. No surprise, we had to make changes. I learned to not sweat the small stuff and to appreciate the humor and joy Matthew brought into our home, especially during the more stressful moments of Grad. School. He learned, that socks all over the house drive me crazy but that it was hard for me to stay annoyed at him when he made me laugh and also when he made really yummy food... he also learned to pick up his socks. We joke, but this time truly showed us that we are a collaborative team with some pretty amazing communication skills (we had years of practice for this moment)! It didn't take long after moving in together to find our flow and to create our own home with our little family of three.

I had no idea a proposal was coming; you may not believe me, but Matthew went rogue on our life plan... and I am SO HAPPY he did. He planned everything for a Franki-friendly proposal, all boxes were checked, champagne was toasted, and then we flew off to Europe. I call that our Engagement Honeymoon! Sharing the news with everyone when we got home and getting to be in our happiness and hold it with others is something that we are both incredibly grateful for. We have truly beautiful people in our lives!

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." - Paulo Coelho. Through all the twists and turns, all the unknown, the universe had a plan. Love is like that. When you have it, you have all you need to be happy, and we have it here. Right before we said "I do!" the world shifted, and we had to change plans. While our hearts were sad, we knew that we wanted to get married and didn't want to wait! So, amid logistical and world uncertainty, we said "I do" to being best friends forever! It wasn't luck, and it has never been. We welcome the evolution of our individual selves and our love. It is ever-changing, but what stays the same is that every morning we turn over and make a choice to be ourselves fully, to accept ourselves and each other, communicate, share, to show up, to live through a lens of love and understanding, and to continuously work for the other's dreams in conjunction with our own... love is a choice, and on March 20, 2020, we choose each other! Marriage is not created by a law or a ceremony; it occurs in the hearts of two human beings. It grows out of loving, caring, and sharing ourselves with another. You are teaming up and saying to the other, "every experience I am going to have, I want you to be a part of it." We want you all to be a part of it too, and cannot wait to celebrate our marriage with the people we love!!