For anyone who has texted the “I love you” handshape emoji, please thank CM Hall and Chad Ludwig.

Hall, the co-project director of DeafBlind interpreting, and Ludwig, the director of RRCD, petitioned Unicode Consortium, a nonprofit that regulates the coding standards for written computer text that includes emojis to have the “I Love You” handshape available in text application. “I love you” is one sign expressed in American Sign Language, and it has made its way to a wider universal understanding and acceptance for those who sign and those who don’t.

It took two years for their petition to be approved. And now, thanks to their work, it’s a little easier to convey three important words with one emoji.