Our Story
We met in 2012 during orientation at SMU Dedman School of Law. We became fast friends, bonding over our shared love of philosophy, indie films and music, and good food and drink. During the spring semester of our first year of law school, Alexander took me for a stroll at White Rock Lake and asked me out. It was both exciting and awkward because he was my friend, you know? But I said yes and even agreed to watch Kill Bill Vol. 1 that night because relationships are about compromise.
Over the nine years that have passed, we have been unbelievably lucky to build lifelong friendships, grow close to each other’s families, and become parents to Ralph and Arlo (the goodest boys in the whole wide world). We are excited to continue to grow, love, explore, and unravel life’s mysteries . . . together.
- Ali
We met as captives in a North Korean prison, wide-eyed and desperate to survive. I was in Pyongyang selling peasants fake medicine; she was smuggling people into the country (a fairly niche market at the time). After a particularly brutal torture session, she comforted me by holding my head in her lap. As she looked down on me, she whispered, “Stop doing that offensive accent.” That kind of wise forethought helped and inspired me to endure another two months of the torture, until our Government traded us for nine North Korean refugee children that had made it to the U.S. One of them was only 15, but was already at Harvard! It’s nice to feel so wanted.
Mild embellishments aside, Ali and I instantly became friends. Surrounded by stereotypically type-A, anxiety-riddled law students, she was an oasis of calm, always willing to sit back, play some good music, sip a beer, and discuss philosophy, history, politics, movies, or anything else. We supported each other through the grueling first year of law school, the less-grueling next two years, taking the bar, and finally entering the real world of lawyers. Over the past nine years, we gave birth to two beautiful boys, Ralph and Arlo. I’m so thankful to have her as a partner as we turn to the next chapter (ideally with less North Korean torture, but never say never).
- Alexander
