It was summer of 2016 and I was by no means looking for a relationship. In fact, I had my sight firmly set on graduating and almost nothing else. Jake, Lauren and TJ had just gotten back from Florida, and I had been bored to tears with the monotony of work, sleep, rinse, repeat; so I did what all sane people do, agree to help clean as the movers placed all of Jake and Lauren's furniture. TJ was there, painting in the basement and on his way out mentioned that he was moving to Indianapolis. If you know me at all, you'll know that I can't help but lend my opinion regardless - no matter my level of expertise. After a review of everything from a cardboard box to the mansions on Meridian that could rival realtor.com, TJ rushed out the door. I'd like to believe that this had nothing to do with my brief 45 minute dissertation, and more likely that TJ was late getting somewhere.

After getting out of a relationship in fall of 2016, my sights were no longer set only on graduation. I felt like I'd never get a date again when it was mentioned that TJ would probably go out with me. Talk about a nervous mess. I vividly remember sweeping like no one had ever swept at work before because I was "SO hypothetically pissed off that he wouldn't ask me out".

In reality - he didn't. He offered to hang out, but assured me every step of the way that we WEREN'T dating. We quickly became the best of friends. I found myself driving over to sit around to just sit with him. It took months of wearing down - assurance that no one would care that we were dating, promising I wouldn't make a big deal out of dating, and a friendly reminder or two [or six] that most people that knew us knew we were dating anyway. It finally all rested on the sunshine box. TJ was having a bad day - a really bad day. I decided that after work, I'd round up his favorites of everything. Reeses, Doritos, lemon Propel, the Fantastic Beasts DVD, and of course TAB - because TAB fixes everything.

I will never - as long as I live - forget the look that washed across his face in that apartment at Stadium Lofts [of course the ONE place I didn't give my opinion on] as he opened the box. Who knew that TAB could fix even that?

The rest is mostly history. There were certainly sweaty palms to meet each other's family, a lot of laughing, a little crying [not related to meeting family, but more accurately from moving TJ out of his third story apartment without an elevator] and a whole lot of love.

The summer of 2016 was somewhat of a turbulent part of my life. I was living in my dad's basement, working a summer job and was mulling a decision of moving to Colorado to finish my undergraduate degree or transferring to IUPUI. After being accepted into both universities, I was almost dead set on packing up and heading out west. After careful consideration and admittedly running around in circles, I decided to stay home in Indiana.

During a visit to Florida to see my grandfather, I developed a newfound relationship with my cousin and his then fiancee. When we returned home, I offered to help them with some housekeeping in their new home. After a long afternoon of painting, I was introduced to a friend of theirs. Her name was Kate. I did not think much of my introduction to her. I was not in the right place to court a new relationship and I quickly learned that she was in a relationship at the time.

Fast forward a few months. During a weekend hunting trip with my cousin and his then fiancee, I was asked if I would be interested in hanging out with Kate. Again, I was by no means ready to begin or looking for a relationship, but I agreed to exchange numbers and get to know her. I will admit (and not proudly), I was not very nice to Kate in the beginning. I was so dead set on being a bachelor and just "living". She ensured me multiple times that there was no label on what we had but I was convinced that she had ulterior motives.

And then everything changed. During the summer of 2017, I was going through a personal hell. I had made some very poor choices and was having to face those consequences. I was struggling to find the motivation to pick myself up. I just wanted to be by myself and shut myself off from the world. One afternoon, Kate asked if she could come see me because she had something for me. I reluctantly agreed (or she forcefully insisted) for a short visit. She arrived at my door with a red box, the "Sunshine Box". Unexcited by anything, I opened the box to find the most wonderful thing. Inside was nothing extravagant, but filled with some of my favorite snacks, TAB and movies (this was the first time Kate saw The Shawshank Redemption). The fact that this woman who I had put through the ringer and had dealt with every ounce of my BS, came to my rescue, meant the absolute world to me and made me realize I had someone very special.

Since that day, she has been a beaming ray of sunshine in my life. I am so grateful and thankful that she stuck with me through some of the worst moments of my life and has shown me unconditional love. I am so looking forward to the lifetime of happiness that is ahead of us.