It was the year 2000 and they were just a pair of awkward 11 year olds wandering the halls of The Altamont School. Nick was mostly into orchestra and pickup basketball at the time, while Claudia preferred art and clothing. It wasn't love at first sight, but she intrigued him with her platform sneakers and his mop of hair wasn't too bad either.

After seven years of growing up together, Nick was off to The University of Alabama and Claudia was headed to Davidson College in North Carolina. Even though months would go by, these "birthday buddies" never forgot a birthday text or phone call.

Nick and Claudia reconnected as friends after moving back to Birmingham. She'd give him dating advice and he'd be her IT wizard (his expertise was probably more legitimate). After a few years of theme parties, concerts, and festivals, they realized there might be something more to their friendship.

It wasn't a surprise when Nick asked me on our first date. He took me out for tacos (yum!) and a concert at Iron City. Maybe it was the music, his dance moves, or the giant brownie he bought me for dessert, but I knew then this guy was special.

It was the middle of March, and storms had left us without power for a week in the middle of a 20-degree cold snap. No sweat off my back, but Nick had big plans... He casually suggested we go out on a date that Wednesday. My response? "Wednesday? We're not even back in our house yet, let's just go on the weekend." It took some convincing, but I finally agreed. (I'm sure this made it that much more stressful for him). After dinner he said we'd be going to a show downtown. As we pulled up to the front of Iron City, I started getting suspicious. Without saying a word, Nick grabbed my hand and led me inside. There was music playing and it was completely dark except for one spotlight in the middle of the dance floor. We walked over and the beautiful faces of my friends pop up on the big screen, preparing me for what Nick's about to say... "Adventure. That's what our life together has been and will be." He asked, and I said yes!