It all started with a look across the table at a staff meeting on her first day of work at Iona University. She noticed his smile first. Then the gallon water bottle. Her first thoughts were, “Wow, he has a nice smile,” followed shortly by, “Damn… he’s one of those people who carries around gallons.” Somehow, that combination was enough to make her want to get to know him. What started as a work crush slowly became something much bigger. At first, the flirting stayed safely hidden behind Microsoft Teams messages about work. Except “work” slowly became him stealing the office’s three-hole punch, sending ransom demands for its safe return, and using office supplies as an excuse to keep talking to her throughout the day. Hours before their first date, their boss was already beginning to catch on that something was going on between them after he got caught bringing her along on duty calls as a “ride-along.” In his defense, he genuinely believed they were ride-alongs. She very much did not. Then came the night everything shifted. After a night out with coworkers, she confidently bragged about how much she used to drink in college before immediately throwing up in the bathroom after a tequila shot. Meanwhile, he somehow ended up taking his pants off at the bar, putting on a kilt, and accidentally spilling espresso martinis all over her purse. It was chaotic, ridiculous, and somehow perfect. After that night, the messages stopped being just about work. From the very beginning, there was something about them that felt easy. She thought he was hot, he thought she was a cutie, and somewhere between all the flirting and friendship, they became each other’s favorite part of the day. He still remembers sitting across from her on their first date when she ordered coleslaw. It sounds ridiculous, but something about that moment made him quietly think, “Uh oh… I think I love her.” Not louder or flashier. Just familiar. Safe. Like something he was supposed to hold onto. Then came the biggest leap of all: moving 500 miles away from everyone and everything they had ever known. New jobs. A new state. Living together for the first time. The kind of season that tests people. And while it wasn’t always easy, it became the moment they realized they could handle hard things together. Together, they built a home filled with laughter, support, chaos, and eventually Bubba, the cat they adopted after she successfully convinced him to become a cat person. Considering his allergies and lifelong resistance to cats, this was both medically and emotionally significant. Somewhere along the way, the life they built stopped feeling temporary and started feeling like home. They balance each other in all the best ways. He is more go-with-the-flow, while she plans everything down to the minute. She helps ground him, and he helps remind her to breathe. She leaves notes and packs his things before he even realizes he forgot them, while he keeps life light with jokes, sarcasm, and a little bit of chaos. Somehow, through all the change, growth, laughter, and challenges, they became exactly what the other needed. And now, after everything, they cannot wait to celebrate this next chapter with all of you.