Right after graduating college in May 2015, Mo came home to DC and her high school friend Margot invited her to a party. While at the party Mo met Margot's cousin Cameron. Cam was the captain of a co-ed flag football team called a Gronking to Remember. Cam asked if Mo wanted to come play the next day and, having nothing else to do, she agreed. Saturday morning Mo picked Margot up and they went down to Marie Reed Field in Adams Morgan. There Mo met the Gronking team, including Dave. After winning the game, the team went for the traditional post-football drink. As drinks were winding down, Mo offered to drop folks off at the Metro and Dave jumped in the car with her and Margot. While on the way to the Metro, Mo asked Dave about what activities he did in college, he responded "Model UN." Model UN was one of Mo's favorite clubs in high school and the two bonded over their love of playing devil's advocate and acting as world leaders. Model UN for the uninitiated is a gloriously nerdy club whose members can name each member of the security council and drink enough to sometime forget their own names. (Please note, Mo did not drink while doing MUN, but eventually caught up to Dave). Sometime during this conversation, Mo and Margot decided they wanted ice cream so the three stopped at Baskin Robins. As they were finishing their ice cream, Dave turned to Mo and said " Hey, what are you doing next Saturday? Cam's out of town and I'm acting as Captain. We always need more women to play, could I get your number and text you with the game info?" Without a second thought, Mo said "Yes!" The connection was immediate and they started texting non-stop that afternoon. A handful of years, three states, two houses, a pandemic, and too many eye-rolling bad (but hilarious) dad jokes later, Mo and Dave are thrilled to be able to share this special day and a few drinks with so many of our favorite people!

Following a Zoom call to commemorate Father's Day with the Oleksak family, a Zoom that included a tour of Dave and Mo's brand new Half St apartment, Mike Oleksak called back to impart some advice to his son. Dave was sitting on the couch with Mo, when the phone rang. Dave answered the phone, "David, that was a great Zoom and we were so happy to see your new apartment. You and Mo have done an amazing job making it feel like home already." Before Dave could get a word in, Mike continued, "so David, there is a right way and a wrong way to ask a woman to marry you." The call was three minutes, but Dave was so blindsided he barely spoke. Knowing that there was a right way to propose, Dave asked Mo how she wanted to handle getting engaged. Her one criteria was to be surprised. Over the next few months, while spending 24-7 together in their apartment, Dave began to plan the surprise. He snuck out a few times to meet with the jeweler, under the watchful eye of Erin Smolskis. Mo was none the wiser. He planned a lovely picnic to pop the question. Alas, that was rained out. Then, inspiration struck! he would do it while in Cape Cod for Thanksgiving. The Cape is a special place to the both of them. Apart from being Dave's family home, it was the spot they took their first trip to when they first started dating. Dave texted Grace, Mo's friend who lives on Cape Cod and asked her to suggest a walk on the beach when they arrived. Once again nature almost got in the way: there was a tornado warning on Cape Cod! But the skies cleared and off they went for a walk. Once they got to the overlook, Dave suggested that Grace and Mo take a photo. Then Grace suggested that Mo and Dave take a few. Dave then asked Grace to "bear with me for a second, there is something I have been meaning to try." He got down on one knee, Mo screamed "what?!?!" eight times, followed by "yes!!!" five times before Dave could ask anything. But with that he knew he had done it the right way!