We met at UNI in Cedar Falls, where our relationship started with a bit of playful back-and-forth—what we now call the "will they, won’t they" phase. I remember Natalie telling her roommates she’d never date me, while I was coming up with excuses to spend more time with her, like forcing myself to go to the gym just so I could text her for a ride after my car broke down.

Eventually, all that back-and-forth turned into something real. We went on our first coffee date, followed by a walk around Gray’s Lake, and from there. Both of us were studying to become teachers, and it didn’t take long to realize how much we had in common. We could spend hours talking about our experiences with kids, lesson plans, and the challenges and rewards of teaching. We found comfort in knowing we had someone who understood the highs and lows of working in education, and it became a foundation of our relationship.

As college ended, I moved away, and we navigated a long-distance relationship for a while. Even though we were miles apart, we kept the conversation going, especially when it came to all things teaching. Whether it was sharing funny stories from the classroom or debating the best ways to handle difficult situations, we were constantly learning from and supporting each other.

One of our favorite memories while we grew together in our relationship was a family trip to Disney, where we not only made new memories together but also got to watch our now-nephew experience some of his firsts.

Our relationship hit a big milestone when we traveled to Alaska, and I proposed—marking the next step in our journey together. Throughout everything, from the early days at UNI to long-distance and back, we’ve built a life together that’s grounded in shared experiences, mutual support, and a deep understanding of each other’s passions, both in and out of the classroom.