We met the new-fashioned way — on Bumble — which was already a bit of a long shot. Jessie was living in Memphis, Christina in Austin, and neither of us had spent much time in the other’s city. But fate (and a dating app algorithm) had other plans.

Christina had been navigating the dating world for a while, and her profile made it clear: she wasn’t here for games. She was looking for someone real — someone to show up, do the work, grow together, and maybe build a piece of furniture or two along the way. Jessie’s profile? A few photos and the word “Coach.” That was it. In theory, a red flag. In reality, a green light.

Despite the minimalist approach, something made Christina swipe right. Maybe it was divine timing. Maybe it was intuition. Maybe it was curiosity. Either way: bingo, bango, bongo — it was a match.

We started chatting about sports (shocker), especially basketball. Christina had just left college athletics, and Jessie was indeed a college basketball "coach", but had also played at Northern Kentucky — a team that, coincidentally, had lost a national championship to Christina’s alma mater, SDSU. Some playful banter quickly turned into texting… and then, spontaneous trip planning.

It was the spring of 2021. The NCAA Women’s Final Four was happening in San Antonio — practically in Christina’s new backyard — and Jessie was wrapping up her season in Memphis. In true Christina fashion, she was already building the travel itinerary. Jessie, meanwhile, was wondering if she still had time to win “Yard of the Month.”

And then it happened.

March 30, 2021, 9:01 PM.

Christina: What projects are we working on this week? Because I was thinking wknd to Austin/San Antonio for the Final Four.

Jessie: I almost thought about San Antonio. My friend is the DOBO for Arizona.

Christina: Shut up. You have to come. My old player is the GA. You don’t even have to buy a ticket. You can crash at my place.

That was it. By 9:48 PM, Jessie had booked a flight. No take-backs.

What followed was a whirlwind of a couple weekends that felt more like 20 dates than seven days — filled with basketball games, to-go margaritas, amusement parks, patio drinks, pool parties, kitchen fires, and hiking under the stars. Seven days. Countless memories. And something that felt like the beginning of everything.

Since then, life’s taken a few turns — new jobs, big moves, and even bigger love. We sold our homes in Austin and Memphis, survived long-distance for over two years, and finally landed together in Indianapolis. Along the way, we’ve faced heartbreaking losses and celebrated life’s biggest wins — always with each other in our corner.

Curious how it all unfolded? Our story’s been one big adventure — and the Photos page is your backstage pass. Go ahead, swipe through the good stuff.

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