Living Together After a Long Distance Relationship

After braving a long-distance relationship, Kylie and Olivia are excited about the next steps; living in the same city, and moving in together.

How did you meet?

We have actually known each other our whole lives, only growing up about a mile from each other. We ran around in similar circles in our small town, and our older siblings were in the same grade, but were always just a beat away from each other with the two-year age gap. Our lives took different paths after high school, but seven years later we found our way back to each other at a friend’s wedding. We danced all night at that wedding, and we both walked away from that night wanting to see more of each other. When we look back over the years, we are so thankful we reunited when we did, the timing was perfect for both of us.

What’s your favorite memory together?

From the start, we agreed to value experiencing things together, over buying things for each other. We have been very lucky to fit in so many wonderful memories in only two years. One of our favorite memories is when we spontaneously bought tickets to the Savannah Music Festival last year. Our favorite band, Watchhouse, was performing at a beautiful old theatre in Savannah, and we jumped at the chance to see them live. The weather in Savannah that night was perfect, which it rarely is! We ate on the patio of a funky restaurant near the river, and then strolled through the historic Reynolds Square on the way to the theatre. Their set was amazing, and we both agreed they were even more incredible live! They came out for an encore and sang our favorite song, Take This Heart of Gold. It is a song about making sacrifices for the person you love, and never wanting to live a live without each other. We could not stop smiling at each other, it was truly a magical evening.

Tell us about coming out in a small town.

Our feelings for each other were deep from the first moment. There was no doubt we wanted to be together, but trying to quietly date was essentially impossible in our small town. Kylie took a huge leap of faith, coming out to her family a month into our relationship, not wanting them to hear about us from someone else. At the time, Olivia had been out for a couple of years, but our relationship definitely still came as a surprise to our closest friends and family. 

We had to be completely vulnerable and trust in each other, knowing that what we were feeling was very real. We worked very hard to build a foundation for our relationship, with the unsteadiness of having Olivia back and forth from school for two years. The connection is always there, but it is a challenge living for the weekends. With a lot of letters, hidden notes, long phone calls, weekend adventures, unconditional support from our families, and lots of miles on our cars, we made it through, and are stronger than ever!

What’s your favorite thing about one another?

O: My favorite thing about Kylie is the way she always has my back and supports me as a partner. She is my biggest cheerleader, always knowing exactly what I need to hear to keep going. She makes me better and pushes me to be my best self. I feel so safe and loved with her by my side, and like we can take on the world with her in my corner. – Olivia

K: Olivia has a huge heart and is incredibly selfless; she is always there for everyone in her life. We joke all the time that our brains work so differently, but so well together. She has a solution for everything, and it brings me so much peace knowing I can always count on her. I can talk to her about my dreams and big wild ideas, never facing judgment, only love and her honest opinion. She’s an amazing dog mom, she’s hilarious, she truly sees me, and has the most incredible smile and laugh that always takes my breath away. There is no place I feel safer or more supported than in her arms. Everyone deserves an Olivia, and I feel so lucky to have her love.

Tell us about your plans for the future.

This year truly feels like the start of our future together. We have been looking forward to this time for two years, finally working and living full-time in the same city. We are getting so excited to officially move in together and start living the life we have been dreaming of. 

Hopefully, the next couple of years will be full of camping trips, home renovation projects, international travel, hikes with our sweet rescue pup, cooking together, live music, and planning a wedding!