The story begins freshman year in freshman-in-transition class in August 2018. Julianna sat in front of Danny, and as the teacher was taking attendance, Julianna heard Danny’s last name and thought, That’s such a cool name! Naturally, she had to do the classic back-cracking technique to see who it belonged to—and there he was. That moment might have been small, but it was the beginning of something big.

A few months later, in November, Julianna broke the ice at the Granada Prayer and Worship Club by casually telling Danny, “Josiah’s actually pretty good at singing.” Danny laughed, and the connection sparked. December brought more (sometimes awkward) interactions, like a chance run-in at a basketball game bathroom where he called her Jordan. This was when Danny started recognizing Julianna and her family at events like basketball games. By February 2019, things were picking up. Julianna even went to church at Danny’s house, where he felt on top of the world after he nailed a “Dude Perfect” Keurig trick shot. That night after church, they made more of a connection as they laughed their way through acro yoga, and other fun activities together.

Spring brought fun chaos, like TP wars that lasted for days, and summer brought unforgettable adventures. They swung on rope swings, stargazed on trampolines, and sold yogurt cards to make Younglife’s Woodleaf camp happen. At camp in July, the connection deepened to something they thought might become something. They played a ton of 9 square (Julianna always helped Danny win, much to everyone’s annoyance), stargazed together, and made hot chocolate a morning ritual. By the time camp ended, Danny’s other “crushes” had disappeared, and he only had eyes for Julianna.

By fall, they were inseparable. They hiked every weekend, stayed up texting until 1 a.m. most nights, and eventually, Danny asked Julianna to homecoming (via text, and he’s not proud of that, although he did ask her again on top of Fatty Hill with a sign, subway, and friends)—she said yes, of course! The following months were filled with memories: baking cookies, corn mazes, and haunted houses. Danny gave Julianna her first handwritten note on Halloween, which became a special tradition. They didn’t realize it then, but they were building something lasting.

Even through quarantine, they stayed close. From nightly Narnia readings from Danny’s dad (don’t tell anyone, but they may have held hands under the blanket) to phone calls stretched for hours to hammocking which quickly became their favorite excuse to meet up. Even on Danny’s birthday, he rode his unicycle 50 miles to San Francisco, and after the ride, a surprise visit at the 50-mile mark from Julianna’s family lit up his birthday. Then came October 2020—the month everything changed. After lots of prayer, heartfelt talks, and a blessing from Julianna and Danny’s family, they made it official. They carved pumpkins, bought ice cream, and started dating—and little did they know, they’d go from each other’s first date ever to high school sweethearts to an engaged couple in just a couple of magical years.

Standing here today, they reflect on a story full of laughter, adventure, faith, and gratefulness. So many blessings have been poured upon them, and Julianna and Danny are so grateful for every stage of life they have gone through together. They are also thankful for everyone who’s been part of their journey and can’t wait to see what God has in store for the next chapter. Thank you for celebrating with them!