It was February 2016. Jillian and I were both young, impressionable educators in different districts that were “asked” to attend a teacher conference. Of course we said yes, unbeknownst to us that we’d eventually come across our future lifelong partners. As likeminded individuals (at least in some aspects), we both enrolled in a Google Drawings session. I sat down by the door, and a freckled girl with an ambiguous ethnicity and large black glasses sat down next to me. I contend that her decision to sit next to me was premeditated. So, in my mind, that was all I needed to make a move. After her laughing vigorously (Jill would say she was just being polite) throughout class at my entertaining commentary, I asked for her email. She had “notes” from a previous session that I “wanted.” Right then and there I had also asked for her number and the rest is history.

On a last minute trip to Pismo Beach, Mike came up with a last minute proposal. We were sitting on the beach in the trunk of the car, watching the sun go down with Mina. After storing the engagement ring in the glove compartment, he quickly grabbed it, quickly texted my dad permission, and quickly (but not so discretely) started setting up his camera to video the sunset. As we stood back to "take a photo" with the sunset, Mike got on one knee and proposed with Mina running along the sand around us. I immediately accepted and we celebrated together with Mina and surprised our parents with the good news over the weekend. We are ready to get married!