Their story began in high school where they met in Spanish class in '09. It wasn't love at first sight but the two remained friends and became closer in the summer of '11. AOL was big back then, and the two would message each other for nights on end. That's when RJ expressed his interest towards Stephanie, and although she pushed back, she could not resist the temptation to explore the unknown. A year passed and the two grew closer to each other when Stephanie finally says yes to become RJ's boyfriend (yes, he really asked her to be his boyfriend). This is still funny years later.

Stephanie follows RJ to college and their relationship hits it's first milestones as they navigate heavy workloads, conflicting schedules, and entering their first phase of adulthood. The two bonded over these main life events, and passed the five year hump (Woo!).

It wasn't until after graduation where they faced their biggest obstacles as Stephanie graduates with her BSN and gets her first RN job in Los Angeles, CA. Up until this point the two had been joint at the hip for eight years, so this wasn't an easy decision, but the two always looked forward to their future and knew this was a sacrifice that needed to be made.

Those who know, the global pandemic not only affected the two with distance and travel, it was one of the hardest times the couple had faced. Stephanie was a COVID 19 nurse and had to stay away from family and friends, but RJ was always supportive and helped her through this dark time. Once the restriction began to lift, RJ planned a special surprise in Joshua Tree where as he puts it, he "could not wait any longer" and popped the question. The two have been engaged since, ready to take the next step that life brings them, and face all new challenges and obstacles together.