In the marriage system, love is represented by two separate yet equally important people: The husband, who makes cringy wedding “about us” intros, and the wife, who laughs at it even though it’s not funny. This is their story.

*Dun Dun*

I met Peyton sometime around 2008 or 2009. We aren’t completely sure. We are sure, however, that we met at a church lock-in. Some of you may find that funny, and you’re right, it is. We quickly became friends and over the years, we became best friends. We didn’t see each other often as we didn’t attend the same school until later in high school. We made up for that by staying in constant contact and staying up late texting each other most nights.

Toward the end of high school, we remained close and Peyton was often times my savior when I had a few too many juice boxes and needed a ride home. She never questioned it or complained when I inevitably asked to stop by Taco Bell along the way, or when we had to abruptly pull over so I could call the dinosaurs on the side of the road. Must’ve been the flu.

In college, Peyton and I remained good friends and saw each other when we got the chance. Eventually, life got in the way and we grew apart. Even in our time apart, there was always a little voice in the back of my head telling me that our story wasn’t over.

Fast forward about five years and that voice in my head was proven right. I was working late one night when my phone dinged. I read the notification and immediately felt the same thing I’d felt a thousand times before when my phone would ding years ago.

Less than two months later, Peyton was on a plane to visit me in North Dakota. By the time Peyton got back on the plane to leave, that little voice in my head had stopped saying our story wasn't over, and started saying that I was going to marry this woman.

Since then, Peyton and Taysom have shown me what I’ve been looking for all along. They prove to me every day that our story has played out exactly how it was supposed to, and it’s far from over.

Many years ago, in a much simpler time, a childhood friend asked me to go to a church lock-in at Parkway Christian Church. There I met a boy, who I had never seen at this church before. He was standing in the hallway, backlit by the side door talking to friends. I wish that I could say this was some cheesy "love at first sight" situation, but I was an awkward middle schooler, so that's not how this story goes.

Said boy got my number from a friend, at least that's how we think it went down. We didn't hang out much until high school, but talked all the time, which usually consisted of me complaining and him listening. (Spoiler alert: not much has changed!) The ability to drive turned into many middle of the night phone calls, drunken trips to Taco Bell, and watching a certain blondie stumble into his house in the dark. College came with concerts and parties where it was my turn to be carried inside and tucked into bed, long passed out.

As people sometimes do, we went down separate paths that led us apart. Him to North Dakota and I to motherhood. For years, I wondered what this guy was up to and why the hell I let that one slip away. If you are someone who ended up with your forever, you won't know what I mean. However, if you've had "the one that got away," you know the feeling.

Eventually, I decided to check on the one that got away, and told myself that I wouldn't let that happen again. He'd been there through my angsty teenage years, stupid relationships, family drama, and everything in between. So I took a shot in the dark, mid breakdown in a funeral home parking lot. One conversation led to a trip to North Dakota, and then another, and a trip home to meet my daughter. And the rest is history.

Tayse and I love our Tucker, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Distance be damned.