In August 2020, in the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Clara and Aaron met at Chick-fil-A, where Clara had her first day of work. Despite the masks, Clara took notice of Aaron immediately! They were just casual co-workers for the entire school year until about March 2021. Clara made the decision to explore the possibility of something more with Aaron, viewing it as low-risk due to the impending distance when Aaron would leave for college. Their connection grew gradually, fostered by overlapping shifts at Chick-fil-A and where they got to get to know each other over breaks. Alongside their connection, a group of friends formed at work, providing a supportive backdrop for Clara and Aaron's developing relationship. A pivotal moment came when Clara extended an invitation for everyone to swim at her house after a “Chick-Fil-A Kickball Event”, and invited Aaron to come. He did! The friend group discussed hanging out at the dog park sometime soon and Clara decided to ask Aaron to go while “everyone was busy” ;). They had an unconventional way of hanging out for next week by choosing to pick up shifts together, but Aaron finally decided to ask Clara out on a date to Pinnacle Mountain. Over the next month, they got to know each other before Aaron would leave for college. As Aaron started his college journey at John Brown University and Clara completed her senior year in Benton, they navigated the challenges of a long-distance relationship with intentionality. Despite the distance, Aaron made frequent trips home to visit Clara! Their connection strengthened over time as they continued to invest in each other emotionally and spiritually. For the past couple years, Aaron has been at John Brown University and Clara has been at the University of Arkansas. With lots of driving, they are able to keep growing in love with the Lord and each other!