I first met Maverick at school. We both went to the same elementary school and only lived a mile apart from one another. We were always there, crossing paths in the hallways, laughing at the same jokes and sharing the same memories. We soon developed the typical middle school crush in 8th grade. We began hanging out and became good friends. At that age, everything felt like it had so much promise. Maverick and I grew apart from one another but this wasn’t the end of our story.

Years went by, and life took us in different directions. By 2019 our lives were completely different, but we began talking to one another again. We started hanging out again, and soon we realized that the connection between us hadn’t changed. We talked for hours, laughed until our cheeks hurt, and found ourselves more and more drawn to one another, even though we were both different people now. Life had shaped us in ways we hadn’t imagined, but somehow, we were exactly where we were supposed to be.

There was a warmth between us, a kind of comfort that came with knowing each other so well, yet seeing each other in a new light. Our conversations weren’t just lighthearted anymore; we talked about the future, our hopes, and our dreams. We talked about the things we had learned over the years, the mistakes we’d made, and the people we were becoming. I began to see him not just as the boy I once dated, but as the man he was growing into—someone I admired, respected, and loved in a way I hadn’t before.

Then, on May 2nd, 2020, everything changed. I was just 15, and he was 16, but when he asked me to be his girlfriend, it felt like we were finally stepping into the love we had always been meant to share. That moment, simple as it seemed, was everything. It was the culmination of years of friendship, of unspoken understanding, of timing that could not have been more perfect. I said yes, without hesitation, because deep down, I knew this was right. This time, we were both ready—not just for each other, but for the kind of love that we could build together, one that had matured alongside us.

As we moved through the next few years, we didn’t just grow as individuals—we grew together. Our relationship became a safe space, a foundation where we could be our true selves, vulnerable and real. We learned how to communicate, how to understand each other’s needs, and how to give each other the space to grow. We faced challenges—personal struggles, changes in our lives, moments when we questioned what the future would hold. But we faced them together, and through it all, our bond only grew stronger.

I look back now, and I can’t help but smile at how far we’ve come. We were just kids when we first met, unsure of what we wanted or where we were going. But now, after all these years, we’ve learned what love really means. It’s not just the butterflies or the easy moments; it’s the quiet understanding, the patience, the support through the tough times, and the joy of simply being together. It’s the way we’ve learned to love each other with intention, with care, and with the kind of dedication that doesn’t waver.

Then, on December 8th, 2024, after years of growing together, learning together, and loving each other, he got down on one knee and asked me the most important question of my life: “Will you marry me?” I could barely hold back the tears. In that moment, everything we had been through, everything we had built, came together in the most beautiful way. I looked at him—this man who had been in my life for so long, who had seen me at my best and my worst—and I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

At 20 and 21, we’ve come so far from the kids we were when we first met. We’ve learned to navigate life together, side by side, and I know that this is just the beginning. Our love has stood the test of time, and it has grown in ways I never imagined. From childhood friends to high school sweethearts to now being engaged to the love of my life, I know that what we have is something rare, something worth holding onto.

We’ve already shared so many memories, but I know the best is yet to come. We still have so much more to experience, so much more to build, and so much more to love. Our journey is just beginning, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.

We have grown up together in every sense of the word. Through every season, every challenge, every laugh and every tear, we’ve found a way to love each other better, stronger, and more deeply than I could have ever imagined. And now, as we step into the future as a team, I know that there’s nothing we can’t face, nothing we can’t conquer. Our love is a story that has just begun, and I’m so grateful to be writing it with my Maverick Paul Gentry.

L&M

Wedding Day

Reception