We are so excited to celebrate with you!

Tom and I got engaged when I got home from a trip to Long Island to visit with my girlfriends. It was a long day of travel and I was excited about all the goodies I found to bring back - baked goods and memories. All I wanted was a shower. Tom had another plan. Sitting at my computer, he told me that he did some shopping, too, and brought me a bag from a pet store. I thought he bought something for the cat. Inside was a large box from the jewelry store. Inside that box was a smaller box that Tom then took from me. I was caught completely by surprise as he got down on one knee and he asked me to marry him. I said yes before I even opened the box. The ring and band are incredibly beautiful - yes, I dropped a few "f bombs" out loud when I saw the rings, which is why the video of the moment remains private. It was so sweet and as "Tom" as it gets. Tom has a gentle and generous spirit; he is the person I've looked for my entire life and he finally found me. I feel very blessed by his patience and his love.

Our first official date was meeting for a casual dinner at Eddie O’Brien’s in Farmington on June 2, 2015. It was a Tuesday. Little did I know at the time, but my life changed that night. I like to think Tom’s did, too. We met for dinner again the following week and shared our first kiss. I vividly remember having a conversation with a coworker “He’s SO nice. He can’t be that nice. CAN he BE that nice?” Apparently, I’d become more jaded than I realized. She is the one who encouraged me to give it a shot, give it some time and realize that there were nice guys out there. One year later I received the most beautifully abundant arrangement of flowers from Tom. He is a romantic at heart and he keeps a calendar of special dates. I didn’t even know a year had gone by. The girls in the office were jealous. I was stunned and blushing and overwhelmed. Truly, Tom is one of the nicest men I’ve ever known. He remembers those moments and celebrates them. I am beyond blessed that he chose me to love. Since March of 2020 when the pandemic hit, we’ve been together pretty much 24/7. His “office” is by the fish tanks and mine is to the side of the dining room and kitchen overlooking the living room. I figure if we were ever going to sink in our relationship, it would have been during these last two years. I’m so happy to be stuck with him. Sure, we’ve had a couple tiffs over stupid things, but in the grand picture of my life, he adds color and nuance to my world. His dad jokes are awful, but even I have to laugh at them sometimes.