If you ask Emily, the universe drew her and Donald to Nashville to live out their own country song under the firefly and starlit southern skies. In the summer of 2014 we both moved to Tennessee, Emily from Chicago and Donald from Seoul, South Korea. Part of the same cohort of the Nashville Teaching Fellows program, we became fast friends and this friendship quickly developed into something more. Emily was captured by Donald's love of adventure, how his eyes seem to crinkle with kindness, and his genuine spirit - the way he connects with people to really get to know them. Donald was taken by Emily's friendly demeanor, witty humor and dedication to her students - all behind her confident, cheerful midwestern accent with long o's and a's and alluring smile. After a couple years in Nashville, we decided to tackle a new adventure and moved to Portland, Maine, where we've lived for the past three years. One snowy night in December, after five years together, Donald wrote the words 'merry me?' with candles in the snow underneath a mistletoe adorned trellis on our patio. Emily, who loves a good pun and has always dreamed of living out her own (progressive) Hallmark Christmas movie, happily said 'of course' and, here we are.

The images featured in our cover photo were taken around Valentine's Day 2020. Every February 14th, Portland wakes up to red hearts on white paper flyered all over town by the 'Valentine Phantom'. This tradition serves as a love letter to the city and a way to remind people that we're all in this together.