Kaila and Nick met June 5th, 2023 upon Camp Barrett in Quantico, VA. They had both just checked in to The Basic School (TBS) for an intensive 7 month Marine Corps Officer training, so honestly they didn't even remember meeting each other until the next morning on June 6th. As fate would have it (as it usually does), out of 400 Marine Officers in the company, Nick and Kaila ended up in the same platoon, same squad, same fire team (talk about fate putting in the work) with Nick chosen to be the fire team leader. Therefore, at 0500 Nick knocked on Kaila's door to make sure she was alive (as one does for accountability purposes). It is not clear the exact connection that they felt, but a certain familiarity was instant, as if they had know each other for years. Thus, the foundation for their friendship and later relationship. They continued through TBS as friends and peers, working together, working out together, and hanging out with other mutual friends. In the narrators opinion, the tide started to turn about halfway through, when Nick volunteered to give Kaila a ride to the New Jersey train station on his way home so she could visit her friend in NYC during Labor Day weekend. Spoiler alert: nothing happened! However, Kaila was blessed with the opportunity of meeting Nick's family for the first time! The next month, Nick works out the courage to ask Kaila to dinner. They end up going to get tacos. And honestly, its kinda of awkward - a bunch of unsaid things in the air circumvented by filler conversations. But, when they get in the car, Nick voice in his head goes "screw this" and he tells Kaila he likes her and wants to continue to get to know her. Kaila definitely says something silly about "titles" that may or may not have made sense but in the end tells Nick she likes him too and wants to continue to get to know him. The following week, Nick has an excellent excuse to invite Kaila to a friends house. His best friend Cole (who is married and lives off-base) is making tacos. They really like tacos. And they drink Margaritas. And they kiss for the first time. And as the narrator I have personally asked if it was a good kiss, both agree its in the top 5 memories that they have with each other. They drive to Annapolis the next weekend to watch West Points Women's soccer team win against Navy for the 3rd year in a row! And then, Kaila's team, THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES, dominates over Nick's team, Penn State, in front of Nick family as she meets them for the second time. As the days continue, they mostly do Marine stuff. But they have their secrets and memories whether it is going fishing/reading, dancing in the moonlight to the car stereo, or 2am taco-bell run after night land navigation because Kaila just wanted to spend time with Nick. In November, they make their low key public debut to people other than close friends and family, by attending a wedding together. By the end of the night its official: Boyfriend and Girlfriend. TBS graduation come right before Christmas, Nick and Kaila then depart way with plans for Nick to come to Ohio right before the New Year and then road trip halfway across the country to Kaila's new home for the next six months - Lawton, OK. Now let me tell you, if you can spend 15 hours in the car and not want to strangle each other - now thats love. These road trip memories included the Budweiser factory, friends, gooey butter cake, St. Louis Arch NP, and tiny house camping! Fast forward, and they are in the long distance era, plus a time change between Virginia and Oklahoma. There were lots of phone calls, face times, flights, cancelled/delayed flights, and drives. But they got there. Camp Lejeune, NC. The past year in North Carolina as been a whirlwind, from a high operation tempo to adopting our dog Walker in January, getting engaged in March, and buying a house in April, it has been non-stop. Nick and Kaila know that their story just started and they are so excited for it to continue into FOREVER.