Almost every day, we argue about how we got so lucky. Unfortunately, we have yet to find an answer, but we have some theories. If it weren't for blueberry pancakes, puns about long walks on KU's Wescoe Beach, and pictures of Mei (Austin's cat he got at a chocolate festival), we wouldn't have built this beautiful life together.

On July 20, 2018, Austin sat alone in a diner on Lawrence's Massachusetts Street thinking he'd been stood up. He hadn't, I was just late as always.* Eventually, we spent the night talking about our senior year college classes, his brother's recent wedding, and our favorite roommate stories over blueberry pancakes well past closing time. And then we didn't stop talking.

As we walked back to our cars, I remember thinking, "I don't know how, but this man is going to be important for the rest of my life."

We've talked everyday since. Austin would send pictures of the microscopic plant spores he was studying and I would recap whatever interviews or stories I was writing. Truly a storybook romance. We treated every conversation like we were each other's best friend, until we were.

Four moves, three cats, two states, and countless hobbies later, we finally get to celebrate what we've built.

We've always agreed that a wedding should be the final piece to our marriage's foundation, not the beginning. Now we get to celebrate all of those pieces of our strange little life with the people that have helped fill it with love. Together we have slain dragons, created beautiful art, conquered career changes, and are ready to party!

*Author's Note: I texted him that I was going to be late. I may need to work on my time management, but at least I'm honest. He's just always been anxious.