The classic friends to romance story. It was back in 2021 when both Joe and Alex were getting ready to start Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). One of the trainings they had to go to before UPT was Initial Flight Training (IFT). Alex was in the class before Joe. When Joe’s class came in for the first day, he says he instantly had a crush on Alex. Maybe it was because she was the only girl in both of their classes haha. They didn’t talk until the last day Alex was there, so Joe tried to pull a move on her. He started asking her questions, acting like he needed help. In reality, he was just trying to get to know her. After the conversation ended, Alex traveled back to Oklahoma and Joe finished the training in Colorado. Fast forward to the both of them getting back to Oklahoma. They had similar friend groups, which meant they kept running into each other. The “go-to” (maybe one of the only) hangout place in Enid, America was Scooters. If you know, you know. Joe and Alex always would gravitate to each other and spend the night talking. Joe sometimes would ask her to dance, and she would make up some excuse as to why she couldn’t because she was nervous. They were about to start UPT in November 2021, so they would get together a few times prior to study. On their first time getting together, you probably could’ve guessed it, they didn’t study at all. Instead, Joe and Alex spent the entire day talking to get to know each other on a deeper level and without the smell of alcohol and cigarettes (Scooters). Before you knew it, it was late and time for Joe to leave. Before he left, Alex asked Joe if he would like to come over the next day for an actual date, to which Joe agreed. Then the rest was history and now they are inseparable (besides the fact that the Air Force gave each of them assignments thousands of miles from each other)!

The first date was less than 24 hours after they spent the entire day pretty much on an informal date. Alex asked Joe to come over for a home-cooked meal. Alex cooked “good” (barely edible) steaks and vegetables. Joe learned the day prior that Alex loves sweets. He brought all of her favorites, including ice cream and peanut butter fudge. The day prior, she casually mentioned that she rarely eats dairy anymore, so along with the dessert he brought Lactaid. So romantic haha! They talked all night and, eventually, shared their first kiss!