We met in junior high, though we weren’t very close friends. We had a few classes together but spent most of our time in separate social circles. Josh remembers wearing a Darth Vader shirt that said “Free Hugs” and trying to get one from Abbie, which she promptly rejected. Abbie remembers trying to take a picture of Josh for a contact photo, but he covered his face with his hands. To this day, it remains his contact picture. They went to separate high schools but briefly reconnected during senior year and went on a few dates. They did not continue dating but remained friends. In the summer of 2021, Josh texted Abbie to ask if she was home from school, and the rest is history.

Josh and Abbie took a trip to Rhode Island for the Fourth of July. Josh arrived a day early to scope out the estate and gardens where he planned to propose. With the perfect spot in mind, they visited the estate together on July 5. As Josh began to say his spiel, Abbie asked, “Should I put my purse down first?” This threw Josh off and his mind went blank. Gathering his thoughts, he expressed his love and commitment and proposed. Abbie said YES, and they celebrated that evening. We are so excited to celebrate this next chapter of our lives with you! See you in Fallbook!