Our love story began in August 2024 on rival kickball teams. Before our second game, Lilly faced the other team captain, a cute, curly-haired brunette—in a game of rock-paper-scissors. She won with scissors, and winked. Throughout the game, she shamelessly flirted, even cartwheeling through the outfield. At home plate, she teased, “You’re gonna miss this!” Aidan promptly kicked a home run. After his team crushed Lilly's 16–1, she called out, “Hey Cap, for that ass-kicking, you owe me a drink!”

Our favorite memory is our first “I love you.” A week earlier, Lilly asked, “Do you feel it too?” Aidan replied, “Yes, but I’m not going to say it until I’m oozing with it.” The night before our first trip to San Diego, we ate burritos and watched Heartstopper. When the characters Elle and Tao said “I know its too soon, but I love you,” Lilly looked over to see Aidan crying into his flaming chicken burrito. He turned to Lilly and said, “I love you.” She cried too, and told him I love you back.

The life-changing prize would help fund our dream wedding in Big Sur while also allowing us to invest in our creative small business, L+A Inkhouse - a space where we can create, print, and sell artwork together. As two young professionals, this support would help us build both a marriage and a business on a strong financial foundation. It would be an investment in our future, our creativity, and a lifetime of building something meaningful together. We are incredibly grateful.