“We’re getting married!”

Our story began back in the late ’80s, when our dads were both stationed in England with the Air Force. We were next-door neighbors during Doug’s junior year and Missy’s senior year, from 1987 to 1988. We quickly became the best of friends—walking to school together, sharing laughs, and building a bond that would stand the test of time. Even after high school, we stayed in touch. Whenever Missy was in San Marcos for school or later living in Austin, we’d find time to reconnect. Fast forward to 2015—Missy had moved to Cleveland, Ohio for work in 2013, and we reconnected. Doug and his family would visit often, staying at Missy’s house and soaking in everything that made CLE special. In 2019, Missy and her best friend Merilee took a trip to Niagara Falls to visit Doug and his family and explore Western New York together. Later, when Missy moved to Colorado to be closer to Merilee and her parents, she and Doug kept in close contact. Then, in September 2023, after the heartbreaking loss of Merilee, Doug traveled to Colorado to attend her memorial. It was during that emotional time that something shifted. After much reflection and a bit of nervousness about crossing the line from friendship into something more, we took the leap—and began dating. The rest, as they say, is history. After years of friendship, shared memories, and support through life’s highs and lows, and with cautious hearts, we opened ourselves to the possibility of something more and we feel incredibly blessed to have found love in one another.