We first met when we were just 12 and 14, two kids in the homeschool world who quickly became friends. Back then, we spent our time running 5Ks together and hanging out at the library. Looking back, it feels as though the universe knew even then that our story was only just beginning.

By the time we were 15 and 17, friendship had turned into something more. We started dating and quickly realized we were not only high school sweethearts, but we had also found both our soulmate and our best friend in each other.

Over the years, life has thrown plenty our way. We navigated the uncertainty of a global pandemic, tornadoes, and pushed through the challenges of nursing school and accounting school, all side by side. Our story is also made of Taylor Swift sing-alongs in the car, football games, cheering on the Bengals, late-night TV marathons, and the cozy chaos brought by our dogs, Amarillo and Tilly. It’s coffee runs, inside jokes, quoting memes, and finding joy in simply being together.

Connor proposed the day before Valentine’s Day, insisting that “our engagement day deserves to be its own special day.”