It all started at Iron Smith’s Gym in Crawfordsville, where I (Adriana) work the front desk. I’d noticed Brian coming in to work out, and while I wasn’t exactly staring, I definitely kept an eye on him — in a totally not-creepy way! I’d try to catch his attention with my cutest gym fits and workouts, hoping he’d notice. Turns out, he did.

One day, Brian showed up to one of my yoga classes. I remember thinking, Okay, he’s kind of cute, but we didn’t really talk much at first. A few days later, I saw him sitting at a table near the front desk, reading a book called Law 101. That was my chance — I walked over and struck up a conversation. We started talking about hiking, dogs, and discovered how easy and natural it felt to be around each other.

Before we knew it, Brian was asking for my phone number. I pretended to need to check my phone to remember it — but really, I knew it all along. We both laughed, and that moment became the start of something special.

Our first date was a hike right here in Crawfordsville, and we’ve been adventuring together ever since — side by side, with love, laughter, and our pups always nearby.