Hunter- I firmly believe, “Everything happens for a reason.” Mine and Maddie’s story is the perfect example of just that. After my freshman year of high school, certain events led me to move houses. At first, I had no intentions of moving schools, but one evening, I got a feeling that moving schools was something I needed to do. I didn’t know anyone who went to Muldrow, but I knew it was the right decision. After the first couple of days, I found a group of friends that allowed me to be a part of their friend group. I then noticed a girl my new friend group talked to quite a bit. I found out her name; however, I was extremely nervous to introduce myself. Days passed, and still, I had yet to have a conversation with her. I joined the boys' basketball team and come to find out she was on the girls’ basketball team. We began to see each other in passing in the gym, a quick “hi and bye” type of deal. Our friend groups associated themselves with each other, and I began to get an idea of who Maddie was as a person. I already knew she was very beautiful from the first time I had seen her, but after being around her, I knew she was just as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. One day, as I was walking across the gym floor, I passed her and said hello. I noticed she was carrying a book. I saw it had an odd title, which piqued my interest. I asked if she was okay, and she gave me the standard “Yes, I am okay.” I told her that she could talk to me if she needed anything, and that was the end of our conversation. Little did we know that a quick conversation in the high school gym over a book would be the start of a love story. Texts, facetimes, and phone calls quickly turned into broken curfews, laughs, and Sunday dinners. Now, I don’t go a day without seeing her. I would be lost without her. I believe that the “feeling” that inspired me to move schools was God. He put all the events in place that led to me moving, which, in reality, he was leading me to Maddie. Maddie- If I’m being honest, I don't remember the exact day I met Hunter. I know I was a sophomore in high school and one day, my friends were talking about a new boy, and I asked them to show him to me. They pointed him out to me, and of course, I thought he was cute. I’m not sure when we met or when I got his number. All I know is that within a few weeks, we were texting almost every day and hanging out at school events. We didn’t have any classes together, didn’t have the same lunch period, we both had basketball before and after school, and we were still somehow finding a way to see each other throughout the day. We became closer friends, and by that summer, we were texting 24/7 and talking on the phone all night. At the end of the summer, I finally got the nerve to ask my parents if I could go hang out with a boy. To my surprise, they said yes. We went to get snow cones, but when we got there, they were closed. At the time, I liked to think my parents didn’t know that, but now that I’m looking back, they definitely knew we weren’t eating snow cones for 3 hours in the heat. My dad actually made the comment when I got home that he was “surprised our snow cones didn’t melt.” Who knew that day would become a memory that we’d look back on and laugh about over 5 years later? Hunter and I have always had a silly, fun relationship. But honestly, he always takes care of me, even when I don't think I need it. I know that God put us in each other’s lives for a reason, at the perfect time. I wouldn’t be who I am without him. We have been through a lot together over the last 6 years. We have grown together, entered adulthood together, and supported each other during some of the most challenging times of our lives. I know there will be more challenging times we will face together, but I also know the best is yet to come. I am so proud of Hunter and the man I have seen him become. I know I will continue to be proud of him as his wife, doing the rest of our lives together.