Alexis and I shared an immediate connection when we met in college. There’s something about a smile that just invites you in, and Alexis has one of those smiles. However, we didn’t start dating until after college and have been together ever since!

We’ve shared countless memories and trips together over the past eight years. The number of first-time experiences you share with your partner is a bit magnified over eight years, but here are a few of our “firsts.” Alexis ate sushi with me for the first time. She ran her first half marathon with me cheering her on. We bought our first house together. We lived together for the first time. I became an uncle for the first time. We participated in our first Spartan race together. There are countless “firsts” that we have done together. However, September 13, 2024, will be the most important “first” for both of us.