Our story technically began before we even knew it, when we crossed paths at the Sea Trials uniform turn-in tent. We didn't realize it at the time, but fate was already at work. We officially connected on Hinge on June 11th, 2024, thanks to a shared love for pugs. Our first real date, which also happened to be Burnie’s 24th birthday, was the perfect mix of mini-golf, Korean BBQ, and ice cream. Just as things were getting started, Rodney headed out for 25 days on his surface training cruise to Japan. With no cell service, the distance was a real test, but the second he got a signal, he hit Burnie up immediately. She picked him up from the airport, and as they drove away, they were greeted by a sky full of unexpected fireworks. Since that night, everything has fallen perfectly into place, and as we like to say... it’s been all smooth sailing from there.