We met the old-fashioned way — at sword fighting practice. (You know, like every great modern love story starts.) We were both part of a medieval recreation group and I’d forgotten an important piece of my armour that fateful day we met. He immediately offered his — which, considering we were about to hit each other with sticks, was a pretty brave move. I remember thinking, huh, this one’s different. Fast forward a year or so — fate (and a job offer) brought us together again. We built a friendship, worked through a few old dragons, and slowly realized that maybe this was what we were both meant to find all along. We fell in love the way we live — with creativity, laughter, and a healthy sense of adventure. As artists and teachers, we see the world through curious eyes, always ready to create, explore, and learn together. Whether we’re sailing into the wind, carving through mountain roads on our motorcycles, or sparring with swords in our medieval gear, we somehow manage to make every shared moment an adventure. Even with an eleven-year age gap, we’ve found ourselves in the same season of life — raising (and now gently launching) our young adult kids — and celebrating the balance between freedom and family. We understand each other’s passions and quirks, and we cheer louder for each other than anyone else possibly could. At heart, we’re two playful souls who found in each other both a kindred spirit and a co-conspirator — for art, for adventure, and for every joyful, messy, sword-swinging day to come. Now we’re here — no armour required this time — ready to spend the rest of our lives side by side.