Hannah and I met when we were 14 at summer camp, where she had a massive crush on me because I reminded her of her crush (Tomas Broady-Sangster in Love Actually). We tried to stay close after the camp, but it didn’t work out because we lived far away, and I stopped attending youth group. It was disappointing because I liked her, but it didn’t work out - or so I thought.

It’s two years later and I decided to reconnect with some friends from my old youth group. I got dinner with them and they convinced me to try going to summer camp again (despite the fact that I left due to some issues with friends at that camp/youth group). Desperate to make the camp enjoyable, I reached out to Hannah to see if she was going and awkwardly asked if she would ride on the bus with me so I wasn’t alone (thank you so much for saying yes, quite honestly, life-changing). I arrived at the Church where the bus was picking us up, and honest to God had a love-at-first-sight moment. We had a super awkward 8-hour bus ride and a week-long camp where I (very subtly, I swear) followed her around everywhere she went. We became good friends again that week, and as seniors, we spent the last night camping outside under the stars. Our friends were lying side-by-side on the ground, and Hannah was beside me. My eyes were glued to the stars (because I’d been caught staring at her a few too many times) when I silenced the butterflies and said the best, dumbest thing I’ve ever said. “You know what’s crazy? My hands are always the coldest when we hold hands for prayer…… ….. …. See?” And grabbed her hand… … … It was terrifying but felt amazing.

I went to bed that night super proud of myself and fulfilled, ready to take on the world (my heart pounding, sweating profusely, and still jittery). After we got home from the camp (hugging everyone except for Hannah, obviously), I wanted to make sure I didn’t seem too desperate - gotta play it cool, ya know? So I waited an entire 37 minutes after saying goodbye to ask her on a date (well done Ben, pat on the back). We went on two dates before school started the next week and were dating within 14 days of re-meeting each other.

It would be nice to say that everything was perfect after that, we were happy, confident, constantly in love - but I’m glad it wasn’t that way. We never broke up or got into large fights, but we’ve been through a lot together. We had to work hard to learn how to communicate with each other, how to show each other affection, and how to be there for each other when things get tough. We’ve worked through trauma, arguments, and people trying to tell us that we aren’t good for each other. We’ve gone through so many significant life changes and an ungodly amount of unprecedented times. Through all the thick and thin, Hannah has always been the person who reminds me to be confident in myself, picks me up when I’m down, and makes me happier than anyone. There are many things I don’t know about my future, but I do know that life is more fun and easier with Hannah by my side.

So anyway, to those of you who haven’t had the honor of meeting Hannah - I’m pumped for you to get to know my best friend. She is wonderfully caring, the life of the party, and the funniest person I know. Let’s all have a great night!

We met at summer camp when I was 14 — that’s the one-liner answer. More specifically, we met at that camp while we were hiking to our next activity and Ben overheard (I know… shocker), me loudly telling someone I just met some deeply personal information that he related to. He caught up to me, told me that we had that in common, and the rest was history. Well, not quite. Us girls reluctantly warmed up to the guys as our counselors required us to mingle throughout the trip, but by the end… I was in BIG trouble. I had my first real silly little crush, and oh-man, was it crushing!!! They do not call it that for no reason! After we got home from camp, I asked my dad ~totally~ casually if Ben and I could go to the movies as super not-in-to-each-other friends, to which he said no. So I cried! I was distraught — who was I, a super level-headed, well-read, broody, independent, fully grown-up, and mature 14-year-old to cry over some boy???? Yuck! Yet, I did. We did end up going to the movies with a group of people though, and it was horribly awkward, I think we sat on opposite ends of the group. So began two years of never speaking to each other again.

Summer before my senior year, I had moved on (finally). I was focused on lettering in cross country, applying to colleges, and living my last year up!!! Senior season baby!! 🥳🥳🥳 And I was going to go through the whole year SINGLE! Who gets into a relationship right before going to college anyway?? High school sweethearts don’t last — that was my promise to myself anyway….. Until randomly, Ben’s name popped up on my phone again and my heart seized— he was returning to summer camp that year and needed a bus buddy. Generously, I said yes, of course I didn’t care if we sat together, I was 16 years old, that sort of thing doesn’t matter anymore. Plus, I hadn’t seen him in YEARS, and definitely had absolutely moved on from the boy who I knew for a week…right?

After a couple weeks of texting non-stop, camp finally came and I played it ~so cool~. I always sat down at lunch first, walked ahead of him to the soccer fields, and generally did everything I could to make sure HE was following ME, and not the other way around. After a week of gallantly saving his life in the archery forrest, showing people up on the sand volleyball courts, and otherwise taking camp games entirely too seriously, Ben must’ve decided he might kinda like me back. The last night at camp, he held my hand while we stargazed, THE FIRST MOVE.

The rest of it has been just as much a treat as those initial first weeks, but it doesn’t make for as good of story telling as my lovesick teenage heart throb bit. We dated our senior year (so much for that self promise), skipped class to hang out (Dad if you’re reading this: Ben ONLY, I went to all of mine), attended each other’s proms and graduations, stayed close to each other for college, watched each other grow up — and cringed at each other growing up, saw each other through it all, and made it to the other side. High school sweethearts who lasted, the irony.

The most beautiful part of our story to me, is how drastically we’ve both grown and changed, yet remained in compatibility. To this day, I still feel butterflies in my chest when I think about Ben, but my crush is less crushing, and a lot more comforting. To the people coming into this on “my side”, I am so excited for you, you are about to meet one of the greatest people ever, Ben is brilliant, and you will love him🤍