Christine's Story: We met a few weeks into starting PA school. It wasn't until a cold February night after class I was leaving the library and walked into a study room Ian was in just to say bye and then he asked if I wanted to do notes with him. As the lone wolf I once was, I was hesitant about this but decided to give it a shot because I'd get to work with a cute guy and maybe (??) make PA school a little easier. We ended up spending a lot of time studying together and realized we had a lot in common. We went hiking in Shenandoah National Park together and then went to Vancouver, Canada shortly after that (and I was terrified to tell my parents I was going on an out-of-country trip with a man they had never met before...sorry mom and dad!). Long story short, it's safe to say that I knew Ian was "the one" pretty early on and even before we made the relationship official a year later in January 2020. Ian's Story: We first met at Plaza Azteca shortly after finishing an anatomy exam in our second week of graduate school. We were out with our fellow classmates de-stressing over margaritas and nacho platters when I struck up conversation with Christine. I quickly learned how much we had in common. As school progressed, the demand for studying became more overwhelming and this is where I decided that I needed a study buddy. First, I tried to make things work with an artsy mom who only did notes by hand. Second, I tried to make things work with an heiress of a hospital CEO who may lead to a future job. And third, I tried to make things work with an heiress of a Blimpie franchise store. Needless to say, all the former options failed until one day when yet another girl walked into my private study room. This one was unlike the rest. She could make me laugh, bike alongside me, and eat Ben & Jerry’s late into the night, her name was Christine. It was then when I realized she could be the one. Life went on and study buddy turned into friend and friend later turned into soul mate. Over the years, we have shared countless memories and cannot wait to continue to make more.

We were in Bar Harbor, Maine for vacation which was specifically planned by Ian for the most maximal fall foliage experience. In the days leading up to the trip the weather unfortunately took a turn for worse with only rain in the foreseeable forecast. Unbeknownst to Christine, Ian had planned the perfect fall proposal six months in advance but was now left feeling somewhat bummed as the weather was less than optimal. On our first morning, we took a walk and stumbled upon a small, quaint café to grab coffee and pastries. Afterward we walked to Bar Island, and this was the moment when Ian realized his opportunity to pop the question as the sun started to peak through the clouds. We went for a small hike and Ian spotted a quiet, secluded spot tucked off the trail and he decided to seize his moment. He told Christine to take in the view as he quickly took out the ring box and Christine’s eyes filled with emotion and she said, “you want to marry me?!” We then enjoyed the remainder of our trip happily engaged, ate plenty of lobster rolls, and celebrated with our families in Boston!