Carter and I met our senior year at Page High School in Mr. Mabe's 4th period anatomy class. I was a good noodle, as we all remember, but Carter was the classic athlete and copied off of my work a lot haha However, he did it more respectfully and endearingly than others would so I found it kinda cute. He told me he needed help studying and from there we formed a study group including Emma Butler, Mac Maultsby, Scott Fairbank, Megan, and Carter, and I. We were menaces in Mr. Mabe's 4th period. There was no taming our class. Mr. Mabe quit his job because of our study group, no lie, because we made him realize that he was not cut out for high schoolers. Poor guy. In his defense, we would make balloon animals, blow bubbles, wear fake mustaches while presenting projects, play with playdough, the list goes on and on. Well, after college applications rolled out, I asked Carter where he applied to. He listed off his colleges and that was the moment I found out he was finally single... for the first time...in 4 years. I tried not to panic or act too excited as he told me about his breakup, but a grin was surely on my face. I had a big crush on the guy, but respectfully did nothing because he was very taken. BUT FINALLY! The window of opportunity opened, but I had to be careful and not scare him because we only had a few months before we left for college. December rolls in and Carter and I had only hung out a few times. We were just good friends, and the feelings were very intense, but we didn't act on them yet. I was so giddy by how much of a gentleman he was and so goofy, I told my mom all about him. She said "oooohhhhh no. You are SMITTEN!" and I took her and Boston to the Christmas tree lot to spy on him *ahem* I mean... to meet him. Carter was working at the lot that year and when we pulled in he was wearing overalls, Bean Boots, and a Christmas tree Farm tobbagan with a massive tree thrown over his shoulder. Hubba hubba! My mom said she saw why I was into him hahah. I began sneaking around and weaving through the trees. I was so shy to introduce him to my mom. We were just friends, not dating, not even an "I like you" at this point... but I was eager because I knew he was special and my mom MUST meet him. She walked right up to him and told him who she was, surprised, but delighted, he gave her a hug and asked her which tree she was getting. We bought our tree from him that year, and a wreath, and a second tree hahaha. Over winter break Carter told me his buddies Prescott and Branyon (thanks guys) told him that he shouldn't jump into another relationship since he had just gotten out of one, and that he should be single for a while. Me, confident as hell, gave him the space he needed knowing he would surely come right back and we would finally get together. I have never had chemistry with anyone so instantly as I did with him. I just knew it was special between he and I, no matter how many months until graduation. The day he and I got back from break, on New Years Day, he and I were hanging out again. We couldn't get enough quality time together. For my birthday, Carter took us to Hanging Rock and he finally asked me to be his girlfriend and we kissed for the first time! From UNCW, Louisburg, NC State, our firtst place in Raleigh, the Greensboro fire academy, to moving to Greensboro, we have been through it all over the passed 7 years. We are so happy to be here. We have never felt more deserving of this triumph of getting married to each other. It is crazy to think it all started with two kids getting put in the same Anatomy class.