Some love stories start with fireworks—ours started with a middle school crush. Hali was the older 8th grade girl, and Gage was the boy who somehow convinced her to give him a chance… until he broke her heart on the bus. Life moved on, and they didn’t speak until senior year chemistry class. Fate stepped in, and suddenly, they were sitting side by side, picking up right where they left off. From that moment, everything changed.

One of our favorite stories comes from Gage’s dad, who remembers seeing us after a big basketball win—Hali in her cheer uniform, Gage in his jersey—walking down the hallway laughing together the entire way. He said he knew we were up to something by the way we couldn’t stop smiling. Turns out, he was right.

What followed was nearly a decade of laughter, adventure, and love: cheering on Cincinnati sports together, ski trips that tested our balance, beach weekends that felt like paradise, and countless family moments that made us stronger. Through every twist and turn, one thing remained true—we’ve always been there for each other (sometimes literally bailing each other out!).

Recently, we bought our first home, and in true Gage fashion, he proposed in the most unexpected, perfect way. Now, after ten years of memories and a love that only grew stronger, we’re ready to start our next chapter: forever.