Sam and I met when we were 13, back in 2010, after he moved to Port Hedland from Wollongong, NSW.

For Sam’s 15th birthday, I decided to get him a puppy (questionable choice for a teenage gift, I know). The boys named him Clyde, and he quickly became part of the family.

We went to our Year 11 formal together in 2012 and dated on and off throughout high school, before Sam moved back to Wollongong in late 2013.

At the end of 2014, I took a trip to Sydney with a friend for New Year’s. Sam and I reconnected during that trip, and not long after, we made the decision that I would move to Sydney.

At the time, I’d lived in Port Hedland most of my life, so moving interstate was a huge step. I left behind my family, my pets, and my best friend Steph.

In February 2016, I moved into an apartment with Sam and his dad, Dean. Once Dean moved out, we lived with housemates for a while before eventually renting our own apartment in Chatswood. While we were there, we adopted a cat named Arnold and added a puppy, Karmi, just before deciding to move back to Port Hedland in 2018.

Once we’d settled back in, we brought Clyde over from NSW to join the rest of the furry crew — Sylvester, Arnold, and Karmi.

In July 2020, I found out I was pregnant with our daughter, Sage. She was born in April 2021 and has been keeping us on our toes ever since.

In November 2023, during a trip to Bali, Sam proposed — and of course, I said yes. Now here we are, getting ready to celebrate with all of you.