Alright, let's dive into the story of how we met, complete with all its quirks and unexpected turns. Brace yourselves for a tale that's as real as it gets.

It all started way back in elementary school when Alyssa and I were just bright-eyed kids with backpacks and dreams. We happened to attend the same elementary school, and fate had a clever plan. In fifth grade, we found ourselves in different classrooms, but something magical was brewing across the hall from Mrs. Laurita's class.

Our journey began innocently enough with the anticipation of the fifth-grade dance. I mustered up all my courage and asked Alyssa to go to the school dance with me. Looking back, she probably said yes out of sheer sympathy. Especially after seeing my awkward dance moves, but hey, my moves speak for themselves now.

Fast forward to sixth grade, where AIM Messenger was all the rage, and it became our secret sanctuary of love. With shaky hands and a racing heart, I asked the big question— "Will you be my girlfriend?" And to my delight, she said yes! Our relationship was unique, to say the least, because we were too shy to talk in person. We might not have had many face-to-face conversations that year, but we made sure to wave hello whenever we passed each other in the hallway. A simple wave, but it spoke volumes—two hearts acknowledging the invisible string that bound them.

Like many young loves, ours had its ups and downs, and in the sixth month, Alyssa broke up with me. But as they say, friendship can be stronger than romance, and that's exactly what happened. Throughout middle school and into high school, we remained really good friends, supporting each other through thick and thin. Little did we know, we both were still secretly crushing on each other over the years.

Then came senior year, and we deciding to give dating another chance, but this time it was different. We knew our young love was stronger than before. Before we knew it, we were attending senior prom together as a couple, FINALLY! We then graduated Division Avenue High School together, and made the most of the summer before Alyssa went off to D.C and I stayed back in NY for college.

College years arrived, and let's just say long-distance relationships are not for the faint of heart. It was a challenging time of late-night calls and navigating the stormy waters of separation. Although we decided to call it quits eventually, we still kept in touch and believed that everything happens for a reason.

However, after a few years post-college, things started to fall back into place. Alyssa returned home from DC, and our paths merged once again, this time for good. We knew deep down that we were meant to be together, and there was no looking back. Our love rekindled, and we embarked on a journey filled with shared dreams and unbreakable trust.

We made memories as we bought our first house together, embracing the chaos of remodeling projects and debating paint colors. Our little family expanded with the addition of our furry friend, Marcus, who brings endless joy and mischief into our lives. Emphasis on mischief. And then came the ultimate surprise—a wedding cunningly concealed within a baby shower! Our hearts overflowed with happiness when we welcomed our bundle of joy, Niko Kai Wiertz, into the world.

The past few years together has been filled with so much joy and growth. We are excited to see what the future holds for us, as we continue to build a life with love, laughter, and countless memories as a family.

We are incredibly grateful for all those who have witnessed our journey firsthand. So now, we hope for all of you to join us in celebration of our love once again!