We met in 2019 as undergraduates at Gonzaga University. Both of us had just started our studies—Miguel having come from Ecuador as an international student and McKenna from Minnesota—and we connected through a specialized entrepreneurial leadership program. Joining this cohort meant we would share classes for the next three years. On our first day of class, we bonded over a shared love for the Galápagos Islands, a place we had both visited and held close to our hearts. It was a small but meaningful moment—one that marked the beginning of something much bigger. We became familiar faces, often exchanging greetings and sharing mutual friends. But it wasn’t until the spring of 2021, when we partnered on a major project for our entrepreneurship program, that we truly got to know each other outside of the classroom. Through long hours of collaboration—building presentations, solving problems, and prototyping—we saw how naturally our strengths aligned. Miguel brought structure, analysis, and attention to detail, while McKenna added creativity, vision, and energy. Our differences didn’t create distance—they made our partnership stronger. A few weeks after the project ended, we finally made time to grab coffee, thinking we’d continue the conversation we started a year prior about the Galápagos. But when we sat down, we ended up talking about everything else—our families, childhoods, dreams, and values. The conversation flowed effortlessly, and in that moment, it became clear that our connection ran much deeper than we’d realized. That coffee date turned into movie nights, dress-up parties, volunteer events, long walks, and takeout on the couch. As we spent more time together, we were struck by how aligned our worldviews were—despite having grown up on different continents. We’re introspective, a bit nerdy, and deeply passionate about helping others. Even our niche interests overlapped—like the fact that we both collected rocks as kids and still display those rocks on our shelves today. We made our relationship official on Valentine’s Day in 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic. Working side by side throughout college—Miguel as Student Body President, McKenna as the leader of an environmental organization—also brought us closer. We advocated for meaningful change on our campus, hosted events that reflected our values, and grew in mutual admiration for each other’s leadership, resilience, and integrity. These experiences helped solidify the foundation of respect and partnership that continues to guide our marriage today. As our relationship deepened, it was important to us to build connections with each other’s families. From the beginning, we’ve believed that love doesn’t just bring two people together—it brings two families. Over the past four years, we’ve shared graduations, holidays, road trips, weddings, and even international adventures with our loved ones. From Minnesota and Puerto Rico to Italy, Ecuador, and Alaska, our families have welcomed us with open arms—and those memories have shaped the life we’re continuing to build together. In late July of 2024, we moved in together. That October, we adopted two cats—Potato and Leche—and began imagining what a future family could look like. By early 2025, we had planned a visit to Ecuador so McKenna could see the mainland for the first time. During that trip, Miguel proposed at a hidden waterfall in Puerto Quito. As part of the proposal, he placed a small agate—McKenna’s favorite kind of rock since childhood, and the very first gift she had ever given him—into the basin of the falls. When she noticed it and bent down to pick it up, confused, she looked up to find Miguel on one knee. A moment that marked the beginning of forever.