Okay, I must start my perspective with a confession. I did not want to start dating Mikato. There, I said it. Don't understand? Let me take you back to my freshman year of college, August 2020. I had just started at NC State and befriended this odd, red-headed sophomore named Nicole (my now matron of honor). Now I say she was odd, but to be honest I did not realize this until much later. All I knew was that she was an older, college girl who took an interest in my lanyard-wearing, confused-looking, freshman self. She introduced me to all of her church friends, one of which was my fiance himself. If you did not get the pleasure of knowing 2020 Mikato Leuang, he had a habit of making fun of his close friends. Naturally, as the only freshman in the group, I was a victim of his habit for quite a long time (it has never stopped). As I got to know him better, I started to understand exactly why everyone had a natural inclination to gravitate towards this jokester. He is the most caring friend you will ever meet. You got a good grade on your test? He’s there to celebrate with you. You don’t have a ride somewhere? He’s driving you. You’re having a bad day? He’s getting ice cream with you. You need advice? He’s being honest with you. Over and over again, without fail, Mikato showed up. Not only did he show up, but I found myself expecting him there; this is why years later when he was talking about his post-grad plans and debating moving across the country, I found myself more distraught than expected. Apparently, if you don’t want to imagine your life without someone, you may want to factor them into your future. Even so, after we went on an unexpected date in October of 2022, I turned him down.

It did not take long for this decision to cause me a lot of anguish and regret. Unfortunately, the realization that I cared very deeply about this man did not come until after I had already rejected him. However, the Lord works in mysterious ways, and after praying, hoping, and wishing for a second chance, I finally got it in the summer of 2023 when I started dating my very best friend. Knowing and loving Mikato has been the biggest joy of my life. Being loved by him gives me a tangible reflection of God’s love for me everyday. I cannot wait to love, serve, challenge, encourage, and care for this man for the rest of my life.

So, as my close, personal friend Taylor Swift says, “Ruin the friendship.”

I must start my perspective with a confession. I did not want to start dating Peyton.

Flashback to my Sophomore year at NC State University. My friend Nicole approaches a group of our friends and me at Talley Student Union, and trailing right beside her is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She introduces Peyton to us, and we all exchange introductions, and they leave. And you know what I do after the fact? I make no moves on her. No call. No text. No nothing. Because in my mind, I had no chance with Peyton. I’d need a lot of hands to count the number of guys who liked her. I had no chance.

Here’s some of why I later decided to take the chance.

Peyton’s really kind. One time, I was with her and our friends, and I was trying to longboard for the first time in a parking lot, and I hit a crack and skidded across the pavement, and tore open some nasty gashes on my hands. After showing everyone the results, she quickly grabbed her Paw Patrol band-aids in her Kia Soul and insisted that she’d be the one to bandage them up.

She loves her stuffed animals. Whenever I’m having a bad day, she’ll grab one and animate it in front of me to make me feel better. She even brought one of her favorites, Phoebe the Hippo, to her 3rd-grade class and gives Phoebe to her kids whenever they need cheering up.

Peyton is restless. She’s the total opposite of me. Whenever she sits down, she feels the need to stand up and start doing something. She gets a lot of things done.

She has the most beautiful smile. She has the kind of smile you can’t help but smile back at.

She loves to serve other people. Her apartment has been littered with birthdays, galentines, and bible studies over the years, and her car probably has more miles driven with others in it than it does just herself.

She’s excitable. It could be a surprise trip for ice cream, going on a walk, or a weekly grocery run, and she’d be jumping out of her seat.

A little over a year and a half into knowing her, I started to like her.

About half a year later, I asked her out, and she said no.

A little over half a year later, I asked her out again, and she said yes.

I’m so excited to celebrate experiencing the rest of this life with Peyton. Loving her is one of God’s greatest joys in my life.