Ella dated Josh's former room mate for a short period of time in 2016. That relationship did not pan out (obviously) but Josh and Ella had become acquaintances through the experience and followed each other on social media for the next 4/5 years. During the initial Covid lockdown, Josh messaged Ella on Facebook on a whim, just hoping to catch up as they hadn't really spoken since 2016. With nothing else going on in the early days of quarantine, they talked.. and talked.. and talked. Soon they were on the phone upwards of 10 hours a day even though they hadn't seen each other in person in years. Being separated by about an hour and a half of distance as well as Ella's compromised immune system making Covid a serious threat, a real relationship seemed unlikely to blossom. But love abides! Josh had planned to move about 5 hours north to work for his stepdad, and even drove all the way up there while Ella kept him company on the phone the entire drive. They even said to each other that this seems like something that could have worked out if he wasn't moving, and discussed giving it a chance if for any reason Josh decided to move back south. Josh lasted all of 3 days before deciding the potential of this relationship outweighed any other priorities. He moved back south, and the rest was history. They reconnected on May 29th 2020 via Facebook, made their relationship official on June 20th, and by mid August had moved in together and gotten a dog. Neither one has ever looked back.

Cliff notes version: everyone knew except Ella. On our annual trip to Michigan to see our family and visit our beach house in Eastport, MI, Josh roped in a huge number of Ella's family members to pull off a surprise beach proposal. During a beach fire (one of Ella's favorite traditions to share with family), he made a wonderful speech about family, love, and their relationship. He ended by asking Ella to marry him, to which, in her shock, she replied "SHUT UP!" Family had come together to make sure there were photos and videos taken from at least 5 different angles, including bringing in a professional photographer. They were also ready with champagne, flowers, and speeches, all excited to celebrate Josh and Ella's next adventure with them. It could not have been more perfect. We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you soon!