Richard and I met during the first few weeks of our junior year in high school. We never spoke to each other, but we had social studies and english together. After weeks of not speaking and staring at each other from across the room, we were briefly introduced by a mutual friend. Shortly after being introduced, we broke the ice one evening after one of his football games with friends at Carl's Jr. Although we had actually talked, we still made googly eyes at one another and had small talk for a couple more weeks. We then had a group assignment in social studies coming up and we were put into the same group. What are the odds?! Eventually we had to talk on more than one occasion because of our project. During our social studies period, our class had to meet in the library to work with our groups. When the bell rang and the class started getting up, Richard stood up and asked for my number. I was beyond excited!! He later invited me to his playoff game that Friday which we lost. The next day he invited me to come hang out with friends at his house to celebrate the end of the football season. Within a couple of hours, we officially began dating and almost nine years later here we are!

During our vacation in New York, we had friends visiting and we were taking them to see Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands. The morning was quite interesting as everyone was trying to get me to change my outfit. We made our way to Boldt castle and hopped on the tour boat. When we all arrived we ate lunch and I used the restroom. While I was away Richard and our friends discussed the secret word along with what the photographer looks like. As we walked through the gates and began walking, I purposely did not hold Richard's hand to mess with him for trying to get me to change my outfit. Our first stop was to the Boldt Castle power house which I had never been inside of. We were not able to go inside due to the high water levels that year. In front of the power house was a big rock with a sign and we were all going to take pictures on it with the beautiful power house and St. Lawrence river in the background. There were people taking pictures just before we went up. I noticed our friends had stop on the other side and started yelling at them to come take their picture. Richard grabbed my hand and led me up to the rock where I thought we were just going to take a picture. I turned around and looked at him only to notice him getting very emotional and going down on one knee. I was in complete shock and I asked him a million times if he were serious because it did not seem real.