One day in April of 2021, I was going to meet with old friends. I walked into the room and sat down. Ryan was sitting across from me and for some reason I couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to get to know more about him. Every time I went to look at him he would look away and vice versa. After a few days, and eagerly trying to find him on social media, I finally found him on Facebook. I was the one to message him first. I didn't want to come off too strong so I made up a question and asked, "Hey do you have this person's number?" He replied, "I will try my best to get it for you, how is your day going?" After his reply we got to talking more and more about what we were doing in life. He was in school finishing his bachelor's degree and I was still undecided and what career path I wanted to take. After numerous video calls and texts back and fourth we set up a date to go out with one another. We met at a coffee bar, tried one another's choice of coffee and although the caffeine didn't help with the nerves, I knew that I could be myself around him. We then went to a Mediterranean restaurant and bought so much food and had multiple conversations about our past, our families, and what we want in our future. I honestly didn't want the night to end. As the sun was going down, we walked the path at the riverwalk, jumping on rocks and laughed with one another. As the date was ending, we said our goodbyes and I went home and made sure to message him saying how good of a night I had with him. Not even a week or two later, I was meeting his family. His family welcomed me so quickly. Usually meeting families can be awkward, but I felt right at home. Throughout the first few months of our relationship, Ryan pushed me to go back to school to pursue my dreams while he was pursing his. I made it a priority and he supported me for 2 years. During that 2 years he earned his masters degree and I graduated and got a full time job. Over the years Ryan and I have created a beautiful relationship and wonderful memories. We are one another's best friend. The trips to Chimney Rock, going camping, and fishing in almost every river in the Smokey Mountains are all a part of our story. One thing I wanted to mention about our story is that Ryan and I both share a value for sobriety. It's a vulnerable part of our story. We believe that being sober has given us the life we deserve and helps each other grow in such a beautiful way. We both cannot wait to celebrate our love for one another and are very thrilled to share our happiness with our friends and family!