Ross started working for Overland in 2019 and we crossed paths a few times with some conversations throughout the years, but even though he had a long-time crush, nothing took off until the universe brought me back to Fairfield. In the time that I was traveling and moving every six months to a year, my soulmate was right under my nose—building a working relationship with my sister Sara and my stepmom Amber, and becoming my little brother Gabi's mortal enemies in Nerf gun wars. When I moved back to Fairfield in 2022, I wasn’t sure I was going to stay, and I definitely wasn’t looking for a relationship. Enter Ross, who went about things in his own patient, well-thought-out way. He would send me messages on Teams, goading me about how my sister’s dog loves him more (which, by the way, is 100% false), and finding any excuse he could to talk to me. But I wasn’t in the mindset for a relationship, so it didn’t dawn on me that he was trying to be anything more than friends. Meanwhile, my best friend Eryn apparently already knew how this story would end—she kept looking at me every time I would bring him up and I'm pretty sure she could tell it was meant to be. She even has the ring doorbell footage from when I dog sat for her in our early relationship of us falling in love. Fast forward several patient months and I finally got the hint after he ran up the stairs at work just to hold the door open for me. We finally went on our first official date to a Burlington Bee’s game, and afterward he took me to Crapo Park—where he used to play as a kid—and asked me to be his girlfriend. Almost three years later, we live together, work in the same department, and if anything could prove we’re meant to spend forever together, it’s surviving that much time side by side with minimal arguments and countless moments of laughter and love. Joining our families is something I’m so excited about and feel so blessed by. I’m gaining two amazing bonus parents/in-laws and a wonderful extended family. Ross—an only child who still chose to marry into this—is gaining seven incredible brothers and sisters, the sweetest three nieces and two nephews, and two awesome parents-in-law. We can’t wait to enter into this blessing of marriage together and celebrate with all of our loved ones!