We met in high school as a pair of goofy 16 and 17 year-olds where we would spend lots of time together in band. There is a lot of debate and lore over who started pursuing who first. You might get a different story depending on whom you ask. The accepted story is that we would both find ourselves wanting to talk to each other outside of school which inevitably led to us texting every day. Before we knew it, we found ourselves looking forward to spending time together in school which eventually led to our first date (the source of more debate). After Valeria graduated high school and went to college, we decided to be in a long-distance relationship where we were 2 hour drive apart. We were eventually back together in the same city for our college years and, before we knew it, we were faced with the same long distance decision. This time, separated by a 2.5 hour flight between Phoenix and Portland. After 2 years, we were finally both in Portland, where we have been together ever since. The periods of long distance were difficult to say the least and, without sugarcoating anything, saying goodbye became harder each time. However, we both knew there would be a time when we'd finally be in the same place for good. We learned to cherish each moment together and have fun with anything we did. As we approach this next milestone, we'll continue to give each other the same butterflies we had in high school. It's been an absolute privilege to grow up together and get to experience the life we dreamed of at 17. We cannot wait to celebrate with you!