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Stephen and Meredith both started attending Camp Cheerio when they were very young!

Meredith's mom, Mary Battle, attended Cheerio as a camper and counselor. Starting in 2000, the Roethling family spent at least a week there every summer while Peter, Meredith's dad, worked as the Camp doctor. Katherine, Meredith, and Charlie were all campers from age 6 to 15.

Stephen's parents met at a summer camp in West Virginia and decided to send him and his brother, Jack, to Camp Cheerio as soon as they were old enough. Stephen started attending Cheerio in 2003 and spent 2 weeks of every summer as a camper there until he was 15 years old.

However, Stephen went to coed sessions while Meredith went to the all-girls sessions, so they didn't know that each other existed.

Stephen and Meredith then became summer staff, but didn't cross paths until summer of 2014. Their first connection was when Charlie became the Counselor-in-Training for Stephen's cabin. Stephen and Charlie became good buddies!

Meredith started spending her entire summers at Camp in 2016. She and Stephen first began to get to know each other while both working as summer directors of the Counselor-in-Training Program in 2019. They became good friends, bonding over their shared goals to become Cheerio full-time staff. They parted ways after the summer, Stephen to West Virginia University and Meredith back to Chapel Hill.

In October of 2019, Meredith was hired by Cheerio full-time. Stephen was hired shortly after in January of 2020.

While working on full-time staff together, Stephen and Meredith's friendship turned into a relationship in February of 2020. (They didn't take many pictures together, but Meredith naturally took a ton of Stephen with her dog, Gracie.)

Of course, the pandemic brought some hardship and stress. They broke up for about 1.5 months, learned more about themselves as "adults," became even better friends, then rekindled their relationship as stronger individuals. Then, the real adventure began!

Stephen and Meredith just enjoy their time together, working hard and celebrating the little moments.

Meredith tries to convert Stephen into a Tar Heel.

Then, Stephen adopted Cooper! (They had no idea what they were getting into.)

Stephen vacationed to Savannah with Meredith's cousins for their first annual New Years trip!

Meredith and Stephen start off the new year with a visit to their buddies, Trey (Stephen's childhood friend) and Leah in Savannah.

Then, they embark on a two-week long cross-country camping road trip! From Mammoth Caves to Rocky Mountain to Arches to Canyonlands to Zion to Bryce Canyon, they smelled, but they made it through knowing they could handle anything together!

Meredith and Stephen spend the fall hiking in the mountains with family for as many weekends as possible. It's their happy place!

They enjoy camping in Mt. Pisgah with Catherine and Alex, realizing that camping with dogs is a whole different experience, especially in a torrential downpour.

Stephen worked his last year with Camp Cheerio, then accepted a new job as an electrical engineer with Energy United. It was a hard decision, but he traded the costumes, walkie talkies, and microphone for work boots and a truck with cool lights.

They practice their dance moves at Lindsey and Michael's wedding, then danced the night away again at Catherine and Alex's wedding.

They finally visit Emma, Conner, Hamilton, and Otis in Atlanta! Meredith is thrilled that Stephen and Conner (her cousin's husband) are now best buds!

Meredith spends Thanksgiving with Stephen's family in Virginia, then they travel to Raleigh to spend time with the Roethling family.

Meredith savors every moment in her last year working with Camp Cheerio, then enrolls in graduate school to get her Masters of Public Health at UNC (Go Heels!) and accepts a job with Helping Horse Therapeutic Programs.

Stephen and Meredith try and fail to take their first Christmas card photo (featuring Gracie and Stephen's nephew dog, Blue). Cooper couldn't be near the presents with his lack of positional awareness.

Meredith is mistaken to be a little boy multiple times throughout the ski trip because of her baggy ski pants. Stephen loves her anyway.

Stephen, an experienced skier, "falls" and "breaks his arm" while on a remote slope. When Meredith is trying to help him up, he kneels and pulls out his grandmother's ring. Meredith is all of the emotions (relieved, angry, and ecstatic), and says yes!

They return home to a late night celebration from Katherine and Mary Battle who picked them up from the airport.

Stephen and Meredith return to "normal" life and get to work on planning the wedding. They decide to book a beautiful venue in the mountains where they met! It just felt right!

Stephen and Meredith enjoy their -1 wedding anniversary by celebrating Harrison (Stephen's cousin) and Anna's wedding!

The to-be-weds enjoy an engagement photo session at Camp Cheerio, celebrating their beginning and what's to come!

Thanks Magnolia Mae Photography!

Alongside Trey and Leah, Meredith and Stephen hike in the New River Gorge then dance the night away celebrating Brooke and Parker's wedding in WV. They're getting even more excited for their special day!