We went to Sierra high school together, in a small mountain town of central California, acknowledging through the few interactions we had, a special connection between us, a mutual admiration. Dylan joined the Navy, I moved to Orange County for college, our conversations became few and far in between. The next Christmas at a friends party, he pulled me aside and admitted his wish, to be able to one day marry a girl like me. An ironic foreshadowing to the years ahead. I left to study abroad in Cyprus, he left for the East Coast. Parting ways again to resort to sporadic facebook conversations. Upon returning home however, everything changed.

Dylan and I’s relationship became much more than the admiration filled friendship previously shared. Transitioning back home, and with him to Norfolk-Virginia, we found encouragement and support in each other. We began writing profusely, talking non-stop every chance we got and wondering what a deeper relationship would look like with the distance between us. Even though we had never been together, we decided to start a long distance relationship.

When he came home for Christmas, we went on our first date. Seeing each other and being together for the first time since all that had progressed between us. Needless to say we spent every possible waking moment together, Dylan met my family, quickly becoming apart of it and during those two short, precious weeks we started something beautiful.