It started, as all good love stories do, with a Twitter crush and a DM slide. Now, who slid into whose DMs first was a hotly contested debate, to which Emily has recently conceded. The conversations started with Marvel movie theories tinged with flirting. March of 2019, Dustin asked Emily if she'd like to join him to see one of those Marvel movies. Giddily, Emily agreed.

As you may know, early 2019 was an emotionally intense time for Emily. Dustin was her first "real" date after a breakup. To say her walls were up would be an understatement. They kept things casual. Dinner and a movie, Game of Thrones viewings. Feelings were building and Emily wasn't sure if she was ready. Something about this guy told her this wouldn't be just a casual thing. So, she broke it off, maybe not the most elegantly.

Through some miracle, Dustin gave her another chance. When Emily moved into her first solo apartment October 2019, Dustin was there, Chinese food in hand and ready to assemble her IKEA furniture. And that was that, they were together ever since. They made things exclusive and official December 13, 2019 and celebrated by driving around looking at Christmas lights. They continue this tradition every dating anniversary.

Things progressed, as they do when two people are falling in love. They were quarantined together during 2020. Emily adopted some cats (Jack and Nancy), Dustin moved in officially, they rescued a dog together (Maisy). They went on road trips, watched soccer and football, attended concerts and weddings, all the while becoming more sure that they are each other's Person.

In late 2022, Emily was presented with an opportunity to lead a team as part of a nationwide expansion of her department. Should we move? Are we ready for this? Ultimately, they set their sights on Oregon and prepared for a cross country move. Then, through a cruel twist of fate, Emily had an accident resulting in two broken ankles... two weeks before the big move.

Thank God for Dustin Jones. He stuck by Emily's side through the week in the hospital, the move from hell, surgery, and physical therapy. He was at every appointment, held her hand through many, many crying spells, and pushed her wheelchair while they tried to make the best of a crazy situation. They asked themselves "how are we going to do this?" Yet, they always did. Through hell or high water, they always did.

Emily is a dreamer. Dustin is steadfast. She keeps him wild. He keeps her safe. She encourages him and he grounds her. They bring out the best of each other and will continue to do so for years to come.