We are getting married! We are so excited to have you celebrate alongside us.

We met as teenagers, I was 16 and John was 15. I was sitting outside my Spanish class when a mutual friend asked, “Do you know who John Rankin is?” I replied, “I know of him.” She then asked if she could give him my number, and the rest is history. Since John didn’t have his license yet, I became the official chauffeur for our first dates, driving us around town. Looking back, it makes us smile that what started with a ride here and there turned into the greatest adventure of our lives together.

I was under the impression that we were making a quick trip to Santa Barbara to help John’s brother, Billy, move in for his senior year. So naturally, Annie, John, Barkley, and I piled into the car. I sat in the backseat with Barkley, which in hindsight feels a little odd, especially since John didn’t look back at me once or really say much the whole ride. I just thought he was focused on the road, but now I know he was quietly trying to keep his nerves in check! We arrived in Santa Barbara and immediately went to a brewery, still with no sign of an actual move-in. Later, as we got ready for dinner, John insisted we leave so early that we ended up arriving 15 minutes ahead of our reservation. Since we had time to spare, we decided to take a walk along the beach. That’s where it happened. Santa Barbara had always been a place close to John’s heart, and now it will always be a place close to my heart.