Long before we knew we'd be spending the rest of our lives together, David and I both found ourselves on the same holy ground: the storied lands of Tuscaloosa, AL.

As David was born and raised in Title Town, he was there long before me! I finally caught up to him in 2014 when I started my freshman year at the University of Alabama, where I decided to major in journalism and join the student newspaper, The Crimson White. I became editor of the culture desk my junior year, and who should show up to a budget meeting but David Jonathan Taylor Jones! For a few semesters I was his ~boss~ while he worked as a staff writer, and the next year he was promoted to multimedia editor, so we continued to work together, and often make eye contact across the newsroom floor. Here's proof of the first promise I ever made to him ;)

Fast-forward to 2019. I was living in Atlanta, GA, and I got a text from my old CW pal David. He was moving to Atlanta too! He asked me for some advice on the best neighborhoods for four scrappy UA film grads to live in. But our text thread turned from logistical ATL talk to a 24/7 conversation about our taste in movies and music, and life. We decided to meet up in David's new neighborhood of Avondale Estates, which also happened to be where my office at the time was located. We talked for a few hours at Three Taverns in Avondale, and it seemed so natural that he was back in my life. I remember my stomach was doing cartwheels as he drove away!!!

After a few more friendly hangs at The Local (one of which featured Margo Robbie), trips to the Plaza Theatre and jaunts around Decatur, we were honest with each other about what we both (and several of our friends, ha!) knew was true: this isn't just friendship. By the time temperatures cooled and Starbucks had rolled out its pumpkin cream cold brews, we were together — officially. Thank goodness!!

When the rest of the world shut down in 2020, we were thrown into ordinary life together. It was a year of change, but we have so many amazing memories from that time of just learning about each other, cooking together and loving on my then-new cat, Bitty, who is now our cat.

In the almost five years since we stopped pretending to be just friends and started living life together, we've experienced so much joy and love. We've traveled from coast to coast, watched our families grow, made friends who are like family, built a home together in Grant Park, drank countless morning coffees and gone on infinite sunset walks, and seen Atlanta become not just the city we love, but also a true community as our worlds meshed together. I don't have the words to encompass my gratitude. David gets all the credit for being brave enough to sense the spark and ask me out almost five years ago. And he's still that candle, lighting up my living room high on a mantle. I feel so honored to be living this life with David, and we are both so excited to celebrate our love with all of y'all! We are so grateful for you -- and for the Crimson Tide.