It all began in 2016, when we were just 17. Although we had lived only a few streets apart in Egypt our whole lives, our paths never crossed, until fate stepped in one evening at a birthday party. From that night on, everything changed. High school gave us so many beautiful milestones, prom, homecoming, graduations, and countless little memories that still make us giggle today. What we didn’t realize then was that our greatest milestone would be learning how to love each other across the miles. Over the past nine years, life carried us on separate journeys. Michael's path led him first to Orlando and later to Indiana, while Mariam's took her to Washington, D.C. We each pursued our dreams and built our futures, all while holding onto the promise of one day being together again. The miles between us were never easy, always filled with airport goodbyes, long phone calls, and more countdowns than we can remember. But through every trial, our love grew stronger, held together by faith, patience, and a bond that never wavered. Now, after nearly a decade of long distance, what began as two teenagers meeting by chance has blossomed into the love of a lifetime. We cannot wait to finally begin forever and to celebrate it with you.