N: 2020 was an unpredictable year. I had just moved to New Orleans in November of 2019 for a job and met Joji in February of 2020. It was the strangest feeling. It was though as if I'd met this person before; like rekindling with someone special from a different lifetime. Everything felt so natural and I felt that "spark" during our first interaction. We dated for a couple of months doing distance, flying, and driving back and forth from New Orleans to Houston (where Joji was living), but on one of his trips to New Orleans, the state lines were shut down and Joji was stuck with me during the height of the pandemic. We ended up spending day in and day out with each other, talking and getting to know one another for months on end. So now, I'd like to share with you a couple of things I learned early on that made me fall in love with Joji. Joji loves to party. If there's music, food, dancing, and good people, he's going to be there. But one thing he forgets and doesn’t realize is that he's the life of the party. He lights up any room he walks into with his laughter and smile and always will go out of his way to make everyone comfortable. You can throw Joji into any social setting and know he will thrive because Joji loves people and people love him. Joji is sweet and sensitive, but also opinionated and strong. He'll stand up for what he believes is right even if it means he's the only one standing. In my eyes, it's one of the most respectable qualities about him. Joji is expressive. There isn't a day or a time when I don't know how he's feeling. He never fails to communicate his thoughts. His reassurance has built the foundation of our relationship giving me a sense of confidence and support that I've never felt in my life. Joji loves hard. Whether it's friends or family, just know that Joji always has your back. He will vouch, support, and give you tough love when necessary, but it's always with the best intentions. Through career changes, job changes, ER visits, school assignments, hurricanes, car break downs, and pandemics, Joji has never left my side. To my future husband, it is a privilege to feel so much unconditional love from you and I cannot wait to do this life together. J: Our Love Story: Have you ever watched a romantic Bollywood movie and thought to yourself, “Oh come on! Stuff like this never happens in real life! It’s so cheesy”. Well, our story feels like one of those movies – including the random dancing in the middle of nowhere. Noor and I started talking in January of 2020, but it was not until a last-minute invite to celebrate Mardi Gras with her that we met. At that time, I was living in Houston and decided to do the “logical” thing and ended up on a midnight bus to New Orleans that following night. From the first moment I saw Noor in person, I knew that this girl was going to change my life. The following weekends were spent hosting Noor in Houston or visiting her in New Orleans. Then, the lockdown hit. State borders between Louisiana and Texas were suddenly closed. We went from a long-distance relationship to living day in day out with each other. It was those endless days and nights stuck in an apartment that became the perfect environment for our love to flourish. I knew that I wanted to marry her. Fast forward three years later and here I am writing this out for our wedding page; life really is crazy. Now I could sit here and write pages about the things that make me love Noor, but I will give you some of my favorites so that you can come to the wedding for the rest. Noor means divine light. It is the most perfect name for her. Noor lit up my world during a time when I felt lost and showed me the silver lining when it all seemed black. Noor has a beautiful soul. Anyone that’s spent a minute with her can tell you they feel the same way. She loves limitlessly and sees the best in everyone. With Noor by my side, I know I have someone who shows me endless support. Noor, thank you for being my soulmate.