Distance has always been an unwelcome third wheel in our story. It has spanned four states, three countries, and several time zones. If we had to award the best supporting role in our story, it would probably go to the Facetime App. Despite this, we've managed to make countless incredible memories and see so much together.

Despite knowing each other since high school, our story began with Facetime calls and flights across the country as Ryan lived in Winston Salem, North Carolina and Claudia lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Though the detail of who chased who is a strong point of contention, we ended up officially dating on March 20th, 2021 on the second floor of Westend Bar on Dickson Street where Ryan asked Claudia to be his girlfriend (romantic right?).

Fast forward six months and we were now a bit closer but still in different states. Ryan was in Fort Sill, Oklahoma for Field Artillery Officer Course and Claudia was still in Fayetteville preparing applications for Physician Assistant school and working at a pediatrics clinic. We became all too familiar with I-40 as we made weekly trips to see each other. We were ecstatic when we found out that she was accepted into the Colorado University Physician Assistant Program since Ryan would be an hour away in Colorado Springs at Fort Carson.

However, shortly after moving to Colorado Ryan was deployed to Bulgaria for a training rotation. Claudia moved out to Denver alone in June of 2022 and she adopted our half shepherd-half husky, Ivy. After nine months separated, Ryan returned home and we finally lived in the same state.

The next year and a half the three of us explored all over Colorado. We saw about every town and tried about every craft beer too. Ivy and Claudia even came to tolerate camping in small doses.

That fall, in November of 2023, Ryan finally popped the question in the mountains outside of Glenwood Springs where we had taken our first road trip two years earlier when we had just started dating. She said yes and we got to celebrate with both our families in town.

As we plan our wedding we are now facing the challenge of distance one last time with Ryan in Poland for another nine months. Next year we plan to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan where we will finally live in the same home. Claudia will have graduated from Physician Assistant School and Ryan will be starting Law School.

Despite the challenges it has brought, the distance that has been ever present throughout our relationship has taught us to make the most of every moment together and has made us incredibly excited for our future together. We can’t wait to see all of our friends and family back home in Arkansas as we celebrate the start of the rest of our lives!

C&R