Our story begins in May of 2016 in Camillus, NY. It was my first day starting my new job at Lowe's and they had sent me on a scavenger hunt to find items in the store to get more affiliated. I was anxious of course and was nervous to talk to anyone and then he appeared.. 18 years old, with his shaggy hair, khaki shorts and boat shoes. I thought to myself, this.. this is the guy, so I walked right up to him and asked if him if he could help me with the scavenger hunt and thus a beautiful friendship was born.

Throughout the years, John and I stayed close to one another. We would often work the same shifts and have lunch together or hang out outside of work when we could. Even when John left Lowes to pursue other opportunities he and I remained close and would text or facetime each other every single day. John eventually shared he had feelings for me but I in true Aftan fashion shot him down and put him in the friendzone because I was too dumb and fearful of ruining the friendship and losing him out of my life. Luckily, John was stubborn and determined and believed I was worth waiting for.

Finally in 2023, I decided to go after what I wanted and give us a real chance. One night I came over to hang with John and even though I was nervous I made the first move. Since that moment, it feels like everything started to fall right into place. Shortly after beginning dating I moved in with John and while others may say it was "too fast" we don't care and we wouldn't change it or have it any other way. It was like everything we had ever wanted or been missing was finally ours.

A month after our 1st year as a couple on October 10th 2024, John proposed at Gillie Lake, the place where he decided back in 2016 that he was in love with me. I remember I had had a really long day at work and had wanted to just lay in bed in comfy clothes rather than socialize and was not in a very pleasant mood. But I rallied because I didnt wanna let the people I had made plans with down. I had been told we were going for a walk with our godchildren and friends before going to nicer dinner, how shocked I was when I realized that the "walk" we were going on was really to the beginning of the rest of my life. I was shocked and so happy and luckily had planned a surprise trip that weekend so we could rush off to celebrate.

Everyday that passes, we fall more and more in love with each other. We are each other's best friends and soulmates tied into one and we are so ecstatic to be legally tied together forever August 8th 2026.