Claire and I met on the first day of fire academy in 2023. Our gear hangers were right next to each other, so I was fortunate enough to get ready beside her every day. We quickly became close friends. I would pretend that I wanted to study on the weekends with her and our mutual friend Dylan Reed, who is one of my groomsmen. Dylan, being a wingman, never showed up. So Claire and I went on a few lovely dates, though she will say they were not dates, apparently I was just dating her in my head and never told her. A few weeks later, I mustered up the courage after a very long and awkward silent 5 minutes outside a pub to tell her how I feel, and of course she was head over heels for me too. We planned our first date and I never left her side since. We lived in a fisherman shack together for a few years and survived a grueling year of firefighter probation, which can be the most stressful of times, but for us, it was a wonderful time of growth and support for one another. Once the probation was over, the gloves were off! We’ve traveled from Belize to Alaska, Hawaii to Vegas, and just about everywhere in between! We have taken many classes together, camped, hiked, explored, bought a house, and even ran an ultra marathon! I don’t know why she stays with me, but here is my guess: my excellent dancing skills, how well I dress, my timely jokes, how I always say the right thing, and my ability to understand all her thoughts, feelings and needs without fail. These are just a few of the vast number of reasons I can come up with. But, it is not lost on me that this is only the beginning. The foundation we have already built has been very effective in projecting a very long and happy future together!