Like many great love stories these days, ours started with a swipe.

In July 2018, we met on Tinder. Krista likes to say she almost didn't swipe right because one of Jared’s profile pictures featured...a goat. Thankfully, Krista decided to give the guy (and the goat) a chance.

For years, we told people we met at work. Back then, meeting on dating apps wasn't quite as common as it is today, so it just felt easier. Technically, we did both work as behavior interventionists at the same school sites, so it wasn't a complete lie. We quickly bonded over our jobs, sharing stories, music, basketball, laughing about the chaos of work, and realizing we had way more in common than we expected.

Our first date was in August (2019) at the AMC theater in Burbank, where we went to Yardhouse then watched Ant-Man and the Wasp. We discovered an unbelievable coincidence: he lived just one block away from Krista in North Hollywood, and in the very same apartment complex where Krista’s brother, Tim, lived and where Krista used to live. Somehow, despite being practically neighbors, it took a dating app to bring us together.

The years that followed felt like one exciting adventure after another. After one year, we moved in together and soon welcomed the newest member of our little family, our dog, Chewie, who made the journey from South Korea to steal our hearts (and our spot on the couch). We survived graduate school together, earned our master's degrees side by side, Krista passed her board exam and became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist/opened her own private practice, Jared passed his board exam and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and somehow we made it through quarantine without driving each other crazy. Along the way, we discovered some of our favorite traditions: traveling whenever we could, singing our hearts out at concerts, annual family vacations, Marvel movies, and making our annual trip to Disneyland every holiday season to soak in all the Christmas magic. Those moments, big and small, became the memories that make our relationship so special.

When life took us in different directions, we took on our biggest adventure yet: long distance. Jared moved to State College, Pennsylvania to begin his PhD while Krista stayed behind in Valley Village, CA to complete her licensure hours. Before long, Chewie and Krista packed up and headed east to join him. Together, our little family explored the East Coast, experienced all four seasons, and learned how to navigate the challenges of two doctoral programs at the same time. Through every late-night writing session, cross-country move, and new adventure, we grew closer and became a #1 hypeman/supporter for each other.

Eventually, we both graduated with our PhDs in 2025, packed up our lives one more time, and made our way back to the best coast/home, California. This time the Bay Area (yay areaaaaaaaa).

As we entered our seventh year together, our conversations naturally shifted toward the future. We had built a life filled with joy, adventures, traditions, and reaching our dreams/goals, we both knew we were ready for our next chapter.

On January 13, 2026, Jared proposed in Krista's motherland, the Philippines (specifically Boracay), with Jared's family there to celebrate the moment. The trip was already incredibly meaningful because Krista had the chance to spend precious time with her family, including introducing Jared to her 90-year-old grandmother for the very first time, a moment Krista had dreamed about for years. Having both of their families become part of such a special memory made the proposal even more unforgettable.

Looking back, it's funny how life works. What started with one swipe, one goat, and one superhero movie turned into a lifetime of amazing experiences, countless memories, and a love that has only grown stronger with each new chapter.