When Matt and Laura were just three years old, they formed a bond in preschool that was unsurpassed. The pair were more or less attached at the hip, and Matt even told the rest of the class that he loved Laura. These two little lovers were inseparable and made a great team, even if they were only three years old at the time.
With the passage of time though, Matt and Laura found themselves at different schools and over the years they lost touch. That was until their paths crossed again 20 years later and a real love story was born…
Best Friends
As soon as Matt and Laura laid eyes on each other at their preschool in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of three, the two hit things off and immediately became best friends. Matt had spotted Laura in the playground and decided to follow her around all day until she played with him. His smart ploy worked, and that day, Matt even sat with his new friend to eat lunch.
Slight Weirdo
At first, Laura thought Matt was a bit of a weirdo as he seemed to be following her around wherever she went in school. But soon she realized that Matt was just a warm and friendly kid who wanted to make new friends. The two would play hide-and-seek during breaks and would often play during nap time so they could enjoy maximum fun together.
Out of School
As if playing all day at preschool wasn’t enough, Matt and Laura soon took their friendship out of school hours. Fortunately, their parents knew each other so setting up play dates was easy. They met after school, either at Matt or Laura’s place and would often go to the movies or go swimming together while their parents chaperoned them. Matt never tried to hide his feelings for Laura, and everyone knew she was his best friend.
Trying to Impress
As is the way for little boys, Matt stopped at nothing to try to impress Laura on an almost daily basis. Whether showing off his handsome collection of Pokemon cards or showing her how high he could go on the swing, Matt wanted Laura to be impressed by him all the time. He would even recite lines from movies he loved to try to get more of her attention.
Early Learning
While Matt was spending time trying to impress his new friend, she spent her time teaching little Matt new things. It started with teaching him how to swing properly on the swings and then progressed to teaching him how to draw rolling hills during art class. She even taught Matt how to eat string cheese the right way. The two friends were more like inseparable lovebirds than anything else.
Starting Kindergarten
Preschool was done, and it was time for the kids to move on to Kindergarten. The two kids were excited about their new schools but also had a lot of anxiety about the move. They didn’t know if they’d be placed in the same Kindergarten or the same class and that summer was a stressful time for both of them.
Catchment Area
Due to the catchment areas where they lived, Matt and Laura were forced apart at a young age. While they didn’t go to the same kindergarten, they also went to different Elementary schools and the two lost touch with the passage of time. At first, they arranged to play dates and hung out from time to time, but this little love affair was all but over, for now.
Christmas Cards
As time went on and life got busier, Matt and Laura hardly met up at all. In fact, as the years progressed the only way they kept in touch was through Christmas cards. Every time Matt received that card from Laura during the festive season he would smile and think back to the wonderful times he spent with his first love at preschool, and always missed her in his heart.
High School
The years passed by and even the Christmas cards dwindled, but Matt never forgot Laura. By now, ten years had passed, and the pair were in High School, but one day something random happened. Laura was on her friend’s phone during recess when she noticed a name pop up on the screen; it was Matt!
Old Memories
The friend asked Laura how she knew Matt, explaining to her that she had met him at middle school. Laura played down the strong connection she had with Matt to her friend, but that friend decided she was going to play matchmaker. Laura was hesitant at first as so much time had passed but eventually warmed to the idea with some encouragement from her friends.
Matchmaking
Laura said to her friends at the time, “I was a freshman in high school, so I was like, ‘I don’t think so!'” according to an interview she gave to People magazine. But Laura decided to trust her friends who gave her phone number to Matt, encouraging him to get in touch with Laura. Matt texted her right away, and that brought a huge smile to her face.
Meeting Up
The two old friends chatted via text for a while and then decided they would arrange to meet up. They decided for old times sake to go see a movie together and once the date was set both were excited to reunite. Matt said it was love at first sight when he saw Laura again after all those years and the feeling seemed to be mutual.
Perfect Date
Both Matt and Laura enjoyed the movie and each other’s company a lot. Soon after they left the movie theater, they went to grab a bite to eat and reminisced about old times. The two were teenagers now and were falling in love for the second time. Matt then asked Laura if she would be his girlfriend.
Tough Decision
College was on the horizon, and Matt and Laura were set to go to colleges more than 1000 miles apart. They didn’t want to be separated again and had to make a tough decision about their futures. They went to their colleges but maintained a long distance relationship and kept in regular contact. They weren’t about to let distance or time keep them apart again.
Romantic Date
Their senior year at college was coming up, and Matt wanted to do something special for Laura during the summer break. He planned a picnic in the grounds of their preschool and thought it would be neat to go there all these years later. However, Matt had more than just sandwiches and milkshakes on his mind.
Feeling Brave
Matt was nervous but felt brave and empowered that day. Matt put his sandwich down as the two sat eating in the playground and got on one knee. He produced a diamond engagement ring from his pocket and, having already asked Laura’s dad for his blessing, asked his old flame if she would marry him. The answer was a resounding YES!!!
Wonderful Wedding
In the winter of 2016, Matt and Laura officially tied the knot at the Arizona Historical Society. Matt’s uncle, a pastor, officiated at the wedding ceremony, saying “For most kids in preschool, it’s about finding your snacks and your sleeping mats, but for them, it was about finding their soulmates.” The wedding was a wonderful event, and both Matt and Laura couldn’t wait to start their lives together.
Going Viral
Having enjoyed their honeymoon in Maui, Matt shared a post on social media about his love for his new wife: “I was enamored with Laura as a child, and I still am to this day.” Their story made it to the Internet in a big way, but they never expected hundreds of thousands of likes and shares.
Wanting Kids
While the couple has enjoyed their first two years of marriage, they also want to bring some kids into the picture soon. “We would love to have kids at some point,” Laura said, but explained, “Right now we are focused on our new puppy Kirby and our new house.”
Favorite Things
When Laura was asked by People what her favorite thing about Matt was, she said, “My favorite thing about Matt is his humor, he always makes me happy, and he is the most driven person I know.” When Matt was asked the same question, he said, “My favorite thing about Laura is her infectious smile and her desire to help those who are less fortunate. She is a force for good and it’s inspiring to be around her every day.”
