It all started back in 6th grade track practice. Just two kids running laps without knowing they were running toward each other. We stayed friends through all the years of school, laughing, teasing, and growing up side by side. Then, junior year rolled around, and somewhere between classes and late-night ice cream runs, friendship turned into something much more. We experienced the rest of high school side by side. From homecoming to AP Government (where Aiden copied Mercedes’ notes) lunch dates to long jump ( where we laughed more than we ran) and not long after, we took the next big step of moving in together and building a little world of our own. Since then, life has been one adventure after another. From Montana to Florida, Arizona to Georgia, and even Las Vegas to Mexico, we’ve made memories in every corner we could reach. Along the way, we adopted our cat, Fred (yes, she’s a girl), and later added our pup Bowie to the mix. Completing our little family. Then, on a chilly day in late November 2024, during our family Christmas photos, one more memory was made. The proposal. And now, after 4½ years of love, laughter, and countless adventures, we’re saying “I do” on our 5th anniversary… The perfect way to start forever.