We first met at Silverado High School in 2009. We had the same friend group, and when school would get out, that group would hang out at the edge of the school parking lot. This particular day, Bri was at that spot, sitting on the sidewalk, when Mike walked up to Bri, laid his head in her lap, looked up at her and said "hi". They spent that entire day hanging out. He walked her home, they hung out on her porch until it got late, and Mike walked home. We had a natural connection immediately, but neither of us knew what that meant then. We ended up dating soon after, but it ended within a few weeks because it just wasn't the right time for us. We had some growing up to do, and some difficult experiences to endure on our own before we would be ready to truly appreciate each other. We reconnected in 2017, a few months after Mike returned from overseas, when a mutual friend invited us both to the same bar to catch up. The odds of us seeing each other again after high school were slim, but we were blessed enough to be placed in each others presence again. We had both experienced a tough 8 years apart and were at low points in our lives. We ended up being just what the other person needed. We immediately accepted each other, supported each other, replenished each others self esteem, and then built each other up to a point were we could handle anything together. This created a deep bond and a level of understanding with each other that we are very fortunate to have. A bond that will hopefully last for more than just this lifetime.