I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area; however, in 2024, as a requirement of completing my doctorate in clinical psychology, I was matched to a state hospital in Kansas City, MO. Like most people from California, I shuddered at the idea of moving to Missouri. The pre-doctoral internship is a year-long commitment, and I had planned to keep my head down and just power through - then I met my sweet Trae. We went to the same gym at the same time every morning. I knew him only as "the hot gym guy" for months until a mutual friend invited both of us to a birthday gathering. I vividly remember the door opening and immediately locking eyes with Trae, who was sitting directly across from the entrance. As soon as we started talking, there were sparks. We talked for hours, probably drank too much, and got goaded into sparring in the living room wearing one boxing glove each. The night may have ended with me... accidentally... punching him in the face. For legal reasons, I cannot confirm or deny what actually occurred. Despite the connection we both felt, Trae and I didn't talk much after that night. He was admittedly, and for good reason, scared to approach me in the gym (I am notoriously unapproachable), and I did my best to convince myself he wasn't interested. About a month later, our mutual friend sent a photo of me to Trae on Snapchat. Unbeknownst to Trae, I was holding our friend's phone when a notification popped up on the screen with his response. It read "Ugh, my future wife!" We began dating soon after. It wasn't easy for us to navigate having a deadline for my move back home to California, but we always found a way to stay in each other's lives as friends and as "gym pals." Trae is very persistent! We fell in love, slowly at first and then all at once. Trae loves me loudly and in a way I always hoped I deserved. I do my best to love him fiercely and without trepidation. We are overjoyed to embark on this next chapter of our serendipitous love story. With love always, (soon to be) Sera Henderson

We started our days before most people even wake up. I’d sleepily make my way into the gym, and there she’d be, already yapping and lighting up the room. She’s from a big city; I’m from a small town. We were strangers who shared a routine and not a lot of conversation. I heard her laugh from across the gym. It was unmistakable—and loud—and drew me in, even though we never spoke. I respected the discipline it took to show up day after day. The first time I spoke to her, I believe my exact words were, “The back is backing.” I was torturing myself on the StairMaster that day and couldn’t help but notice how much her hard work had been paying off, and I felt compelled to let her know. She thanked me for the compliment, but we never really talked much after that. It wasn’t until we were both at a mutual friend’s birthday that we finally discovered our spark. I walked in the door and noticed Sera immediately. She looked absolutely beautiful (as always), and of course, there was her infectious laugh. We finally spoke that night, and our connection was immediate. As the night continued, somehow the topic came up that she could beat me in a boxing match. I, of course, said there was absolutely no way that was possible, and Sera, being Sera, took that as a challenge. Unluckily for me, our friend had some boxing gloves lying around, so we had to have an impromptu boxing match. It started off light and playful, but ended with me catching a right hook to the face. I don’t know if it was the concussion or the shock of defeat, but I knew I had found the one. Even though there were sparks, we never really talked much after that, though it wasn’t for a lack of effort. I may have scoured all forms of social media looking for her. It wasn’t until she was with our mutual friend and happened to view a Snapchat I’d sent calling her “my future wife” that things finally took off for me and Sera. We began dating soon after, but unfortunately, she was leaving at the end of the year and didn’t want anything serious. I listened and understood where she was coming from and agreed that it would probably be for the best. For me, that did not last long. The more time I spent with Sera, the more I realized that I was in love with her (even though she specifically asked me not to be). Sera was more of a slow burner, but our love has blossomed into something neither of us could have ever seen coming. We constantly ask ourselves what the odds are that everything aligned so perfectly that two people finally found each other when timing mattered most. I love Sera with my whole heart and can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Hendersons.