We first met on her birthday through work—she was assigned to my classroom for a few hours. I never would have guessed that day I’d met my future wife. Aside from a few brief conversations, we didn’t really speak again until after the pandemic began. When schools shut down, I was working from home while our company continued operating schools and group homes. Then, out of the blue, I got a call asking me to help at one of the group homes. She happened to be working there, and over the next few weeks, we got to know each other. What struck me most was how natural it felt to talk and laugh with her, almost like we had always known each other. Our first date was at a beautiful Italian restaurant, dining outdoors in New Haven—and from that moment on, the rest was history.

For the longest time, I’ve always wanted to go on a picnic (sounds corny, I know), but I dreamed of the full experience—the cute picnic basket, a charcuterie board, the whole setup. Lo and behold, Aj (who is always so attentive) remembered this and made it a reality for me—lol. It was something small, but it meant so much to me. Aj planned a beautiful picnic at Harkness Park (highly recommend checking it out!), and it was the most stunning park I’ve ever been to. The view, the scenery—everything was perfect. Needless to say, I went there as a girlfriend and left as a fiancée. ❤️ "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate." — Matthew 19:6 ❤️