This story started with lunch at a Japanese restaurant in May 2019. Before their 3rd date, Jim found a scrap piece of paper at home and wrote “this is the woman I’m going to marry”. By October, Jim and Cheryl were on a trip to Quebec City after getting to know each other better. While walking on Rue du Petit-Champlain, the most beautiful street in Quebec, Jim and Cheryl picked out a promise ring. The following month Cheryl, Jim AND Sophia traveled to Florida for Thanksgiving to meet his parents and his brother, John. December found just Cheryl and Jim traveling: this time to California for Christmas where he met Cheryl’s family and a LOT of her relatives. In March--COVID-19 LOCKDOWN! They all became much closer during the mandatory quarantine growing to truly appreciate each other: cooking together, water balloon fights, and lots of board games. Jim waited until September 25th to take her away on a special weekend to Charlottesville, Virginia. After breakfast the following morning, Jim told her they were going on a picnic to a secret location (James Madison’s Montpelier). He wanted a place that would always be there for them to visit. A few volunteers helped out with advice on the best place to propose. Jim and Cheryl went to the formal gardens, laid out their picnic and just enjoyed each other’s company. After talking about this and that Jim decided it was time. Having given Cheryl a book called “The Map that Leads to You” when they met, Jim took out a copy and told Cheryl he had marked some pages they could read to each other. Cheryl was thinking maybe something was up at this point but still wasn’t sure. Before she opened the book he pulled the proposal out of his back pocket. After telling Cheryl why he wanted them to be together for the rest of their lives he asked Cheryl to open the book. Inside was a heart-shaped cutout made by an artist friend. Standing up inside the heart was Cheryl’s engagement ring. Spoiler alert: Cheryl said "Yes!"