The infamous ISOP Ops Birthday Social is where it all began. Carolyn had just started working at News America Marketing for the In-Store Operations Team East and was excited to celebrate her birthday with her new team. A former Team Central co-worker (cue Marc) was invited back to celebrate with his old crew as he also had an October birthday. Here begins their meet cute scene. Carolyn was introduced to Marc, and they instantly hit it off. They began to chat in detail about the New York Rangers roster, and their equally competitive hatred against everything Boston sports related. Amidst their fiery sports commentary is where their story began.

In what would become their annual tradition of going to New York City to see the Bryant Park winter village and the Rockefeller tree - December 15, 2012 was the day Carolyn and Marc made their relationship official.

On a cold January morning, Carolyn and Marc moved into their first apartment lovingly nicknamed "Acorn Cottage." They were surrounded by friends and family who helped them move all of their stuff in and through the notorious drop-door ceiling (that's a whole other story). It was a humble, old and drafty converted barn and garage, but it would soon become home - and the moments shared with friends and family there for almost 5 years are memories that will last a lifetime. After 18 months of pandemic working from home in that tiny cottage, it was time for them to move on into a beautiful new apartment complex, in a town that one day they hope to put roots down in.

THE PUPPY ENGAGEMENT: That Tuesday morning Carolyn had met up with her mother and godmother to get coffee and catch-up before the holidays. Her mother got an urgent call from her dad that a neighbor had lost their dog, and he was going to help search for it. Offering assistance, her mom said she'd be right there but didn't ask much details. Carolyn instantly got worried that her dad was being lured into a trap, hopped in her car and tried to get her dad on the phone. Carolyn flew down I-95 and met up with her dad a block from her family's house by the Woodway Beach Club. With mom in tow, her dad said that the neighbor had last seen their dog near the beach so that's where they should start first. Dad kept his cool after being bombarded with question after question about this "missing dog." As the questions kept rolling, they banked around the corner of the Woodway entrance and Carolyn noticed someone on the beach with a dog. "Is that Marc?..." There was Marc with a golden retriever puppy wearing a bow-tie. Carolyn walked on the beach towards Marc and he handed her a note from the puppy that said "Would you be my Mommy?" After she said yes (obviously), Marc asked her to turn the note over and it said "Would you marry my Daddy?" Marc then got down on one knee and asked Carolyn to marry him. And the rest is history.