Once upon a time, on April 13, 1992, a girl named Jade entered the world. She grew up wandering between Shoreline, Lynnwood, and Edmonds, always with a creative project in hand and a suitcase half-packed. She loved crafts, the outdoors, and discovering new places. With family in Korea and scattered up and down the West Coast, adventure was never far away, it was simply part of who she was.

Just over a year later, on July 15, 1993, a boy named Morgan arrived, beginning his life in Norway before settling in Shoreline, Washington. He stayed close to home, even for college, but his world was anything but small. Sports, playing them, watching them, and debating them, filled his days, along with a love of travel. Like Jade, Morgan had family in faraway places and all along the West Coast, and like Jade, he grew up knowing that life was meant to be explored.

Sometimes we wonder if our paths crossed back then, two kids growing up in the same place, living parallel stories, unknowingly heading toward one another. We like to believe the timing just wasn’t right yet.

That timing finally arrived in December of 2020. The world was quiet. Life was on pause. Both Jade and Morgan were newly graduated from law school, very single, and spending far too much time at home during a pandemic. But on their phones was a little app called Bumble, and that’s where fate decided to step in.

As Morgan scrolled, one profile caught his attention. It read simply, “Lawyer and cats.” The photos were a little blurry, but something about it felt right. He took a chance and swiped right.

Days later, Jade came across Morgan’s profile, a thoughtful paragraph about sports, the law, and travel. She swiped right too, and just like that, it was a match.

Jade sent a simple waving emoji, and that small hello turned into days of conversation, laughter, and connection. Within a couple of weeks, they decided to meet in person for dinner at the Tulalip Resort, right before the holidays.

That first date felt easy. They talked about family, friends, work, and how strangely similar their lives were. It was clear this was something special. As the months passed, they spent nearly all their time together, sharing dinners, bottles of wine, movies, and long conversations while the world outside stayed shut down.

In March of 2021, things got a little more complicated. Morgan accepted a new job in Olympia, which meant distance during the week and treasured weekends together. They made it work, meeting halfway in Tacoma once a week for dinner at McMenamins Elk Lodge, a small tradition that meant everything.

Jade soon moved into an apartment in Edmonds, and little by little, they began weaving their lives together. Families were introduced. Favorite places were shared. Between Richmond Beach, Olympia, Sounders games, UW football, Korean barbecue, and the introduction of beloved family cats, their worlds blended seamlessly. Before long, Morgan had quietly moved himself into Jade’s apartment.

As time passed, the adventures grew bigger. Camping in the Cascades, holiday parties, trips with friends, and eventually journeys across the world, to Norway and Korea, to meet each other’s extended families. Along the way, there were Oyster New Years, snowshoeing trips, cozy cabins, Whistler ski days, Caribbean sunshine, and art museums in cities they had only dreamed of visiting before.

Early on, both Jade and Morgan knew this was it. By October of 2024, Morgan was ready. During a trip to Norway, he asked Jade to marry him at the top of a hill in the town where he was born, Tønsberg. Jade said yes.

Life stayed beautifully busy. Wedding planning took a back seat to travel, friends, and family. Instead, they adopted a dog named Otto, who quickly became their fur child and the center of daily walks through Edmonds, now firmly home.

And now, here we are.

Surrounded by the people we love most, you, finally celebrating the life we’ve built together and the many chapters still to come.

Our story is just beginning. 💛