We met online (when we were both about ready to give up on the apps) and hit it off. Our first date was at a local park - Evan brought treats for Bruno and that alone stole Christal's heart. The next few dates were at the same park where we walked for hours (of course with Bruno). Our first non-park date was on Bruno's birthday a month and a half later. Evan came over with toys for Bruno and threw a surprise party with Christal - clearly meant for each other!

We moved into an apartment together and soon decided to accomplish the seemingly impossible - buying a house in the post-COVID market. After 100s of house tours, we found the perfect fixer-upper. Since then, we have flipped the house into our home. After a year and a half, the projects still never stop but, as the saying goes, if your relationship survives remodeling a house, it can survive anything.

Christal didn't make things easy! The day of the proposal, Evan asked Christal to go to the park a bunch of times and every time, she had another chore to do. Finally, he got her to leave with the promise of feeding the ducks. We went to their new favorite park on the Mohawk River. Bruno went swimming and we fed the ducks! After that, we let Bruno loose to run and Evan said "Christal what does Bruno's bandana say?!" He had secretly brought and put on a bandana without her noticing! Bruno (and his bandana) said "Mommy, will you marry my daddy" .... of course she said yes!