Sam was still living in North Carolina at the time. We both had recently downloaded Hinge & were in the first few matches for each other. When we first matched, we both were busy - he was going home to Kentucky to celebrate his birthday & I was heading to Utah for my brothers wedding, so we didn't talk for a little over a week (I tell him he ignored me for a week ;)). Once both were back in NC, we picked up where conversation left off & July 12, 2024 we had our first date! From that moment, we both knew we wanted each other's presence as often as possible. Fast forward to early September, Sam takes off to Illinois to start his job & thus started our year of long distance before I moved to Illinois to join him.