Many of you may know our individual stories but I'm sure OUR story is foreign to most of you.

In the photo above are some of our favorite polaroid photos taken from the day we started dating on February 22, 2022, leading up to January 1, 2024.

Scroll further to read and see more of our story.

It all started on a Tuesday - September 28th, 2021 to be exact- when Joshua and I met by the inside waterfall at our school.

I (Rachel) had been sick with the flu for several days and was finally back to school - still feeling under the weather.

I still remember the first time I saw Joshua, heard his voice, and I even remember what was said in that 5 minute conversation. But most importantly I remember how I felt after parting.

I walked up to my brothers who were standing with a couple of friends by the inside waterfall. As I approached silently I noticed a guy with his back towards me chatting away to a friend. He was obviously very excited about something I thought to myself.

"Dude!" urged the friend as he nudged Joshua to turn his attention toward me. Joshua went from an overly excited chatterbox to instantly silent as he turned and looked at me.

We caught eye contact for a second but I quickly turned away feeling a little awkward.

"Hi" I said to the friend who then asked me how I was feeling since I had gotten sick.

"I'm feeling much better just dealing with some..." I paused as I motioned towards my nose - momentarily forgetting the word.

"Congestion!" Joshua interjected

"Yes." I replied.

There it is. Our very FIRST words to each other. Forever ingrained in my brain. Good thing I have a sense of humor.

Although I wasn't thinking anything romantic at first I knew from those first 5 minutes that I would like being around him. He intrigued me. There was something different about him.

It was only 3 short weeks after meeting him that I had to finally admit to myself that I was attracted to him.

There was only one problem. I didn't know his name.

For some strange reason, no one formally introduced us. Somehow, from that first meeting I "gathered" that his name was Wendall. "Hmmmm... a very old-fashioned name but okay. He can pull it off." I thought to myself.

After 3 weeks of not being fully sure what his name was, I asked my brother. The answer; Joshua.

WHAT? That is NOT at all what I thought! But boy am I glad!

I kept it to myself about the mix-up for several days until I finally decided it would be a funny story to tell him. Something to bond over.

I casually told Joshua the story after school one day thinking it was hilarious. Thankfully he thought it was funny too! In fact, he thought it was so funny that he began calling ME Wendall. So of course I had to start calling HIM Wendall.

It went so far that we saved each other's contacts in our phones as "Wendall Wendall".

From that day on until we began to date each other we only called each other "Wendall".

And to this day Joshua and I still call each other "Wendall" from time to time.