Although we both attended the University of Notre Dame (Francis '20 and Abbie '21) and lived in dorms right next door to each other for two years, we did not meet at Notre Dame! We met at St. Clement Catholic Church in Chicago at its Tuesday Night Young Adult Community (YAC) Volleyball after we both moved to Chicago in 2021. Francis' POV: While I sometimes mix up names and faces, it took only one night for me to remember Abbie! It took her an extra Tuesday to remember my name, and luckily for me she's remembered it ever since. Abbie's POV: A week or two after that, my roommate Emily made an appearance at volleyball, and when we got home, Emily inquired who "that guy" was that I had been talking to all night. I nonchalantly responded "Oh, Francis? No one." But Emily's words echoed in my head, and a few months later Francis and I went on our first date. Thanks Emily! -- Francis and Abbie

Our first date is disputed between an ice skating date in mid-February 2022 and dinner & watching a Notre Dame hockey game in early March 2022.

It all started with a planned date to go ice skating at 8pm on a December Monday night. One of our first dates was ice skating at Maggie Daley Park in Chicago, and it is one of our favorite dates to do in the wintertime. After a long and fun day of work and skating, Francis insisted we go back to his apartment to dance around the shining Christmas tree and lights he had set up for the holiday. While the idea of continuing a date so late on a worknight perplexed Abbie, she relented this time. The dancing started slowly with a few stepped on toes and quickly transformed to spins and dips. After about 10 minutes, Francis spun Abbie in front of the Christmas tree once... twice... three times before he reached into the tree, pulled out the ring box, got down on one knee, and popped the question — and she said yes!