We met in the summer of 2021, when a dating app—one we both downloaded with low expectations—somehow matched us up. At first, we weren’t even sure the other person was real. Our early messages were filled with playful skepticism, like debating whether a new house was being built off Highway 61 or if it was just another business. That quirky back-and-forth was the first clue: this person was real—and actually kind of fun.

Neither of us was looking for anything serious, but over time, something started to grow. We built a friendship through texts, Saturday hangouts, and, of course, food. And then came the dates—so many good ones. Baseball games with the Twins and the St. Paul Saints, Timberwolves basketball, Wild hockey, roller derby bouts, the State Fair, concerts, comedy shows, and even cashing in free slot play and playing bingo at Treasure Island and let’s not forget our trips to the cabin- lots of fun memories and Las Vegas. Every outing brought more laughs, more memories, and more reasons to keep showing up for each other.

Then came some health challenges, and with them, a deeper realization. We weren’t just best friends anymore. We were each other’s person. That’s when we knew: it was time to start our life together—not just side by side, but as one.