Welcome to the Love Story of Kati and Caleb. As I sit here writing the story of Kati and I, I can only smile thinking about the journey we have been on together which started in both of our favorite places. Blacksburg, Virginia. Everyone who knows me knows how much of a Virginia Tech nut I am, so it was only fitting that I found my person at a place so special. For Kati, the decision to attend Virginia Tech wasn’t as cut and dry, but it is safe to say she made the right choice as she has ended up with such a fantastic person in me ;). Kati and I have known each other since our freshman year in 2018. We met each other through mutual friends and were merely friendly with one another for two whole years. During those two years, I think we can both say that we had a bit of a crush on one another and would look forward to the weekends and seeing each other when our friends got together. Although we would continue to be friends and only friends. Our Junior year was when things slowly started to break away from the so-called friend era. This was the year when COVID occurred so our friend group would hang out with one another often as this was some of our only forms of entertainment. An important part of our love story involves my sister, Lauren. Virginia Tech was playing NC State in an empty Lane Stadium, so we were having a watch party at Kati's apartment. Kati and I were still just friends, but my sister came to watch the game with us and ended up talking to Kati quite a bit that night. After the night was over, I remembered my sister saying I should ask Kati out. She raved about how pretty and nice she was and kept telling me I should ask her out. Even though I wouldn’t ask Kati out for almost another year, Lauren likes to take credit for knocking some sense into me. Fast-forward to spring break of Junior year when our friends all went to the beach for Spring Break. After spring break, I developed such a strong feeling for Kati. I am not sure what finally clicked in my brain, but I knew she was the one for me. A couple weeks after returning from spring break, I attempted to ask Kati out by inviting her to attend a Virginia Tech baseball game. I knew she thought I was cute and sort of had a crush on me, but I had no idea if she would want to go out with me. Conveniently for Kati, she claimed she had a bunch of homework (lol). I didn’t think too much of it, so I didn’t give up too easily. I drove up to Blacksburg for Kati’s 21st birthday party from Raleigh just so I could hang out and celebrate her birthday during the summer. I think it’s safe to say that it was pretty obvious at that point that I liked Kati a lot. However, for some reason, I still wouldn’t tell her how much I liked her because I was nervous that she wouldn’t feel the same way. All summer long I would think about Kati and wonder what she was up to and kept telling myself I would finally ask her out once we came back for our senior year. (1/2) too many words to fit in one chunk!

Senior Year finally came, and I was as excited as ever because that meant I got to see Kati again. Luckily for me, Kati seemed to still have a bit of a crush on me and was patient enough to wait for me to muster the courage to finally ask her out. Our journey together officially started on November 4, 2021. Since then, Kati and I have been on quite an adventure with one another. Upon both of us graduating from Virginia Tech in 2022, Kati headed out West to begin her two-year Master's program at the University of Idaho. I knew I was getting myself into a long-distance relationship, but I knew it would be worth it because Kati is pretty special. That year I believe we became best friends with one another. I truly believe distance makes the heart grow stronger and Kati and I are a testament of this as we were over 2000 miles apart. Although Kati and I made long-distance work very well, we both knew we wanted to be together for her last year of graduate school. We made the decision together that I would move out to Idaho and be with her for her final year. Living together in Idaho will always hold a special place in our hearts, a chapter filled with cherished memories that we'll carry with us forever. From the adventures exploring the Pacific Northwest to the unforgettable moment of our proposal in McCall, Idaho, our time there was also marked by the challenges of distance from those we hold dear. That's why we're eagerly counting down the days until we return to the East Coast to share our love story with all the special people in our lives. Kati and I are thrilled to see you all on October 27th, so don't forget to dust off your dancing shoes! (2/2)