In the fall of 2018, Devin and Noah spoke for the first time at an Oxfam world hunger event held on the TLU campus, where we were both in the “food secure” group. Devin offered her meal to a student in the “food insecure” group; Noah did not. It would not be until a couple of months later that we would meet again when one of our mutual friends–Nicklas Aune, a groomsman in our wedding–would extend an invitation to a movie night at Devin’s dorm room. Come to find out, not only did we both live in Trinity Hall but Noah’s dorm room was located right above Devin’s! By the dawning of the New Year, we had officially begun dating. Things began to move quickly for Devin and Noah, as we decided to take the next step in our relationship just a few months later: adopting a dog, Dug.

The next few years of our relationship were a whirlwind. Half of our sophomore year and the entirety of our junior year were spent online as we endured the pandemic of COVID-19. Although we were in isolation—fearing what lay beyond the walls of our home—we cherished the presence of each other’s company. Unfortunately, these few years did not leave us unscathed. Like many families, the virus brought tragic loss upon some of the most adored members of ours. No doubt, the era of the pandemic was characterized by great suffering and adversity, yet it perpetuated our relationship to abound even more so. During this time, Devin and Noah took another step in their relationship: we received a pandemic puppy, Dexter, Noah’s childhood dog (puppy is loose term here; he was 12-years-old at the time). In May 2022, Devin and Noah graduated from TLU with bachelors in Sociology-Criminal Justice and Theology, respectively.

The following summer we began a new chapter in our life together as we embarked to Dallas for the next three years so Noah could attain his Masters from SMU. During this time, Devin began her professional career as a social worker. The distance that now lied between us and our family was a constant struggle, as this was the farthest and longest that either of us had spent away from our families. Although this distance weighed heavy on our hearts and conscience, we nevertheless bore it together and continued to grow in our service and love to one another. Not only did Devin and Noah grow in their relationship, but their family grew as well with the addition of a two-week-old [street] kitten, Annie (who is now two-years-old).

Although we lived in Dallas, five years after the genesis of our relationship, in September 2023, we would return to the TLU campus, and Noah would propose to Devin in front of the chapel–cementing the legacy of TLU in the story of our relationship. Afterwards, Devin and Noah returned to Dallas to conclude this chapter of our lives, highlighted by Devin’s continued success in her social work, Noah’s completion of his Masters, and their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii. So, here we stand—7 years, 7 moves, 3 degrees, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 pandemic, and countless memories later—two best friends who, having met as kids and grown alongside each other, joyously await to enter into the matrimonial covenant to love and be loved by one another for the rest of their lives.