Welcome! I too share your love of deadlifts! As far as knee issues and squatting go, I've found that the more I started squatting the less my knees were bothered. Of course you should start with reasonable weights. Also, some good knee sleeves can come in handy for keeping pressure around the joint and keeping them nice and warm. I use these they're not exactly cheap but they are worth it in my opinion. Looking forward to watching your strength journey, Liz!