forest 🌀

It's hard to believe that 18 years ago, I approached him while he sat alone at the bench on the playground, and I asked him if he'd like to be friends. I was always a very shy and anxious kid, so I don't know what it was that compelled me to approach him.

But it was the greatest decision of my life.

I am so proud of him for how far he has come. Over coming loss and grief, multiple surgeries, and just life in general. Even after all that, he's still the happiest person I know. The dimple that shows up on his cheek when he smiles is the first thing I fell in love with. It's my favorite part of him to kiss because it always keeps him smiling longer.

A lot can happen in 18 years.

In 2019, I finally escaped the hoarding situation I lived in all my life. I went to live with Andy, and even when I had to move away to North Dakota back in 2022, we still managed to stick together stronger than ever. The long distance helped us learn a lot about how meaningful a relationship truly is, and what keeps it strong. When I moved back, and we finally got our own place together, I knew I was ready for the next step in our relationship.

Last year, I took him down to the waterfront we always go to at midnight on Christmas Eve and proposed to him. I've never seen him so speechless in all my years of knowing him. Even though we've been dating for 8 years, he still somehow never saw it coming! It was such a nice surprise. I love seeing him happy.

On Friday we went to the courthouse with what little bits of family we have left, and made our love official. It was an unforgettable moment, even if the judge teased me a bit for barely holding onto my emotions during our vows, lol. There were other couples there getting married too, which was really really nice to see. It's really beautiful that everyone experiences love in different ways.

We're going to have our official wedding next year on our anniversary in October. ❤️