We were just two souls crossing paths in the chaos of life, both at the beginning of our journeys. I was 18, a nervous, eager nursing student, and he was 20, navigating the excitement and uncertainty of his undergrad. Neither of us could have known, in that moment, that we were about to meet our first true love.

It started small—just a connection, like something you can’t quite put into words but feels right from the first hello. We didn’t know it at the time, but our relationship would soon become more than either of us had ever expected. In those early days, everything was new and exciting—first dates, first laughs, first moments that would forever shape who we were becoming. He was my first serious relationship, and I was his. We grew up together, both in the world and in love.

But life, as it tends to do, had other plans for us. We were both in different places, working on our dreams, our studies, and our futures. And yet, the distance between us never seemed to change how deeply we felt. Long-distance love wasn’t easy—seven years of it, to be exact—but every mile apart only made the moments we had together that much sweeter. Each visit, each call, each text was a thread weaving us closer.

And then, one day, the distance no longer mattered. We made it. After all the waiting, all the longing, we finally lived in the same city. Our first real "home" together felt like a dream—unbelievably real, but even more unbelievably perfect. It was like we’d been building toward this moment all along.

But our little family wasn’t complete without a few furry companions. Throughout the years, we adopted four adorable cats, each with their own personalities and quirks that quickly filled our home with joy and chaos. There was the mischievous one who loved to get into trouble, the cuddly one who never left our sides, and the ones who insisted on taking over every inch of the couch. They became a part of our story, a reminder of the love and warmth we had created together. Our home, once quiet and empty, was now filled with the soft pitter-patter of paws and the occasional cat-induced chaos. It felt even more like home with them.

Looking ahead, we’re not in a rush for anything—we’re just taking it one day at a time. We know that life will keep changing, we’ll keep growing, and that there will always be more adventures to come. Whether it’s the next chapter in our careers, the new places we’ll see, or simply finding more ways to laugh through life with our cats and each other, we’re ready for whatever happens next.

There’s no grand plan, no timeline—just the quiet certainty that this is where we’re supposed to be, right here, together.