We met on Tinder (cue the dramatic gasp!) in July 2019. After a few weeks of chatting on the phone, we had our first date in August. Our dates were such a success that we started seeing each other every chance we got—you could say we were inseparable!

Before we met, Jesse had already committed to attending a military school in Texas, which meant the first few months of our relationship were long-distance. It wasn’t easy, but we made it work by spending countless hours on FaceTime and talking on the phone late into the night.

When Jesse returned from Texas, we planned to travel to Japan, but the pandemic began, and we spent much of our time indoors. Many nights were filled with late-night walks around the neighborhood, movie marathons, and plenty of wine. I eventually completed nursing school, Jesse started his career as a firefighter, and in May 2020, we moved in together.

Over the next couple of years, we traveled, celebrated our accomplishments, and grew deeper in love with each passing day.

In January 2023, the long-anticipated (and for some, dreaded) deployment Jesse had enlisted for became a reality, as he was sent with his squadron to the Middle East. Every day, I feel immense gratitude for Jesse's sacrifice and bravery in serving our country. It was a challenging time that tested our relationship, demanding strength, love, and unwavering positivity. Despite the difficulties, I am endlessly thankful that Jesse returned home safely.

After the deployment, we dedicated our time to being together as much as possible, reigniting our love after being apart for so long and celebrating his safe return with our friends and family until...