She said YES!

After endless hemming and hawing, Steve finally asked me on our first date. We were going to dinner at the Hillstone in Faneuil Hall the night before Thanksgiving. I was counting down the days for this date. I was more excited for this first date than any other. I was so giddy when, the day before our date, he asked if I'd want to meet for lunch. I immediately said yes and started getting ready. I met him outside Massachusetts General Hospital where he had just finished a job interview. After a quiet lunch in the North End we found ourselves at Mike's Pastry where I ordered my usual chocolate covered cannoli. We then walked to the Freedom Trail Park Swings, ate our cannoli's, and enjoyed each others company. I thought the date was going great, swinging, teasing, and laughing with one another. Little did I know, I had cannoli cream on my nose and he didn't say a word! Steve was adamant that this wasn't our "official" first date and that our time together was simply repayment for being his ride home. But it was a perfect first date, it was the day I knew I had met my person, the one I was going to spend forever with. For me, that was enough for me to make it "official". I can't wait for forever!

Anyone that truly knows me, knows that I am a planner. Down to the details and meticulous. Before I asked Nicole out on our first date, I wanted to make sure I had everything planned perfectly. I had the restaurant, private booth, and time all picked out. Now it was just a waiting game. The day prior I had a job interview with Massachusetts General Hospital. To make my life easier I had my father drop me off so I wouldn't have to deal with my usual commute that I had working for Boston Children's Hospital (90 minutes each way...yeesh). Only problem is I forgot to ask someone for a ride home! By that point I had one of three options: Uber home, take public transportation and then hail a cab, or ask Nicole for a favor. To cover up the real reason why I needed her help, I asked her if she wanted to meet for a quick lunch...Easy enough. But as I progressed through the day the rationalization finally came through, this was our first date. We still went on our date the next night at Hillstone but the wonderful day we shared together cemented it as the day I met my person, my forever Uber driver.

Where does the story really begin? Steve always knew that if I could have it my way, we would be surrounded by family during the happiest time of the year for us, Christmas. I certainly was not expecting my proposal story to happen in 2020 with it near impossible to get a large number of people together, but Steve found a way to create a proposal that one sees out of a Hallmark Movie. For months, Steve had been working behind the scenes to find a way to get my family of 20 to a COVID-friendly activity, all without raising any suspicions of what was really happening. After searching far and wide he came across Gardens Aglow, a walking, outdoor holiday light tour that could accommodate a group of our size. There was still one big problem. How to get the entire family there unknowingly? Steve claims he pulled a move straight out of "The Departed" by turning my Uncle Pete into a mole. In reality, he somehow convinced my uncle to tell our entire family, including myself that he was planning a holiday get-together at Gardens Aglow to surprise my Auntie Laurie. So the day arrived, Steve had been planning this magical surprise for me, and here I am thinking that I am going to see Christmas lights to surprise my Auntie Laurie. We had just finished taking some photos at the Rhododendron Garden when all of a sudden Steve was down on one knee asking if I would marry him. I was so shocked, I stepped back (appropriate for a pandemic proposal), and when I had realized what was happening, I came in closer, with a tear in my eye, and nodded my head, "yes" over and over. We're so thrilled to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you!