Like most great romances, ours began with a conversation about neotenic salamanders.

That conversation led to another, and then another. Before long, we were quoting the Lord of the Rings together, tossing Star Wars trivia at one another and accidentally showing up dressed alike.

We had a lot in common, but we taught each other, too. Chad showed Claire that hiking can be fun, and Claire showed Chad that some cats aren't evil.

Somehow Claire had never been to the Renaissance Festival: a problem Chad quickly remedied. And somehow Claire convinced Chad to dress in full lederhosen for it.

Most importantly, we discovered that the people we love most fit together, too. Between us, we have four incredible sons who keep life interesting, keep us laughing and remind us every day what matters most. Watching our family come together has been the best part of our story, and we're so grateful for the life we've built with them. We're thrilled for the next chapter and even more excited to celebrate it with all of you.