Maddie: It all started in the weight room the second half of my senior year. He was the TA to the football coach, coach McGeary, in the lifting class that I was in. We never really talked until the night of graduation, but little did I know that he and McGeary would talk about me often.

Josh: I sent her a DM over Instagram the night of graduation thanking her for being such a good student. While all the other girls would look for ways to get out of class, she would be lifting before anyone else was and staying on task.

Maddie: We became friends instantly that night and talked everyday after that. A text here and there turned into longer conversations, and before I knew it we were talking late into the night about anything from our favorite country songs to what our deepest fears were.

Josh: We would talk for hours at a time everyday, it didn't matter where we were or what we were doing. She went on a trip to Disneyland that summer and I went to Chicago. During our trips we would give each other cool updates on what we were doing, and how much fun it was to be where we were.

Maddie: That summer went by fast, and pretty soon I was moving to Cedar City for school. Josh and I still talked everyday, but we never really got to hangout until my last night in Provo.

Josh: I had been wanting to hangout with her, but either I was always busy or she was. So I decided that no matter what I was going to see her before she left for college. Our high school's football team was playing our rival, and I thought it would be cool to take her to that.

Maddie: He came to my house and we walked a block to the high school and watched the football game. He really didn't talk much, but when he did all he would talk about was how good we were this year in football and how many of his friends were starting.

Josh: I didn't know what else to talk about so I stayed in my element. Afterwards I brought up the idea of going somewhere to get some ice cream. Even though the night had been kind of a disaster because I was so nervous, I still didn't want it to end.

Maddie: When we got to the ice cream shop he finally started talking about things other than football. It was so nice to have a real conversation in person, even though I loved talking over the phone.

Josh: Unfortunately the night had to come to an end, but I knew that I wasn't going to want this to be the last time we hung out together. I awkwardly hugged her and told her goodnight and we both went our ways.

Maddie: Once I moved to Cedar City we talked everyday. A simple question like ,"What's your favorite cookie?" turned into deeper questions as we would talk about the future.

Josh: It didn't matter how good or bad that day was, talking to her always made it a million times better. While she was gone at college, I was working a couple jobs and one of them happened to be with her younger brother at Pizza Pie Cafe. Much of our conversations together would be about Maddie as I was asking how she was doing. I was crushing on her big time and couldn't wait for my next chance to go out with her.

Maddie: At this point, we were no longer ordinary friends but best friends - there was nothing that we couldn't talk to each other about. Time passed by, and before I knew it it was Christmas break. I was home for the Holidays when he asked me if I wanted to go watch the new Frozen movie with him. Of course I said yes, and we met up later that week.

Josh: I was so excited to see her for lots of reasons - the biggest being that a month earlier I had gone to Disneyland (Maddie's favorite place) and got her the cutest key chains. I had a little trouble picking some out, so I just decided to get her all of the one's that I was trying to choose between. Even though I was still a little awkward, I was so stoked to see her reaction when I gave them to her.

Maddie: We went out to eat at Chipotle, at which Josh could barely finish his food. He later told me was because he was so nervous. He even spilled his drink on the way out and had trouble parking, but I thought it was so cute since I could tell he was a little anxious. The biggest thing that I can remember from the movie is this one guy sitting towards the back of the theater that had the loudest and most hilarious laugh, who was laughing nearly the whole time. We thought it was so funny, and it's still something we crack jokes about. But what really made my night was when he pulled out the key chains he got me! He had gotten me three because he didn't know which one I would like most, so he got me all of them. It was one of the sweetest things anyone had done for me - I thought it was so cute.

Josh: Like always the night had to come to an end, and shortly after that amazing day she would have to go back for her spring semester.

Maddie: When I got back to Cedar City, we went back to our routine. We would talk for hours every night after my long dance days and share the funniest stories, along with the saddest ones. But then right in the middle of the semester, Covid hit. School was moved online, and I made my way back home to Provo.

Josh: I was lowkey so excited that she was coming back home! At this point I had the biggest crush on her. I was looking for any chance to tell her how I felt, but with her being so far away there wasn't really a chance. This would be my moment to really tell her.

Maddie: As soon as I got back we started hanging out more and more. We went on long bike rides, walks, and would often go to Swig which was followed by long drives around the valley as we talked and listened to our favorite country songs. And then every night, we would talk for hours and hours like we had when I was in Cedar City. I had been crushing on him too for a while at this point, but with me being away for college I didn't know how it would work out.

Josh: As we got into the summer I was afraid that I was going to miss my window, so I finally brought it up and told her how I felt. That's all that she was waiting for, and she told me that she felt the same way.

Maddie: For our first official date, we went to Lagoon. Long lines were spent talking and laughing, and the drive there and back was spent blasting music and singing out loud to our favorite songs. At this point, I knew that I was serious about him.

Josh: Exactly a month after our first date, I asked her to be my girlfriend and really the rest is history. After the summer, she went back for another year at SUU. Being away from her really showed me that this was a deeper love than I had ever thought.

Maddie: Although the year was hard while we were dating long distance, my love for him grew a million times over. Throughout that time that we spent away from each other, we talked about a serious future and plans down the road.

Josh: I knew that I wanted to marry her, and more importantly that she wanted to as well! When she got back, everything moved quickly and we couldn't be happier.

Us: Now we are here getting ready to open the next chapter of our lives, and hope that you can be there to celebrate with us!