Sometimes love shows up at the perfect moment — quietly, unexpectedly, and exactly when two people are ready for it. We met in Austin on New Year’s Day, during a gathering at my sister and brother-in-law’s home. I was between travel-nursing assignments and visiting family, and Samuel happened to be in town from Colorado. Right place, right time… and the easiest chemistry either of us had ever felt. What started as a fun, adventurous beginning turned into something neither of us wanted to let go of. By January 28th, we were officially together — even as life pulled me to Dallas and Samuel back to Colorado. We were intentional with every mile between us. I flew to see him in Colorado; he pursued me all the way back to Texas. Eventually he transferred jobs, I began looking for work in Austin, and from that point on… we were inseparable. Our love has grown every day since. As we step into this next chapter, we’re choosing a path that feels deeply true to us. We will be having an intimate courthouse ceremony in Austin — a private, meaningful moment to officially begin our marriage. After that, we’ll be traveling with our closest family to Tuscany for a symbolic ceremony in the hills of Italy, where we’ll exchange vows under the Tuscan sun and celebrate the start of our life together. We also plan to celebrate with a party in Austin before our ceremony in Italy so we can share this joy with the people who mean the world to us. Thank you for being part of our story — whether you’re with us in Texas, in Italy, or cheering us on from home, your love and support mean everything.