We met when we were 14 years old through St John the Divine Episcopal Church Confirmation Camp. We didn't know a soul but were placed in the same team building group of about 6 people. Meredith was drawn to his strategically frayed ball cap and puka shell necklace. Marcus couldn't forget that long blonde hair. For the next year, the star-crossed middle school crushes saw each other at various church events and eventually were reunited at Lamar High School. For the next 4 years, the crush struggle was real, but nothing ever came of it. Senior year rolled around and we were each asked individually to give our Testimonials at SJD Youth Sunday. Little did we know, our speeches would incorporate one another. Meaning, we admitted that we basically showed up to Mid-Week Youth Group only to see if the other one was there! We both went to Ole Miss and the friendship grew even stronger, as Houstonians do when outside of their comfort zone. Then post-college, we both wound up in the Houston real estate industry. Meredith in property management and Marcus in land development and finance. It only took 6 years of post-college living, volunteering, alumni event planning and gala attending to realize they had more things than not in common. Marcus would ask Meredith to be his +1 to Hobby Center theater shows, including Cabaret, Wicked and Book of Mormon, and Meredith would ask him to be her +1 to various dinner parties. It was January 19th at a Progressive Dinner, that we had "the conversation" of "why AREN'T we dating?!" And with a little *push* from our friends, we found the courage to break through the friend zone barrier, holding hands, and haven't let go since! "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible..." - When Harry Met Sally