We actually met thanks to a dating app called Coffee Meets Bagel. I (Ashley) was smitten with John's cat pictures and Star Wars sweater. John was intrigued by my career and my eyes. We went on our first date on March 25th, 2018, only to be kept apart for a while, since I was going on vacation the next day with my mom. After a week of talking every day and planning our next dates, I came home and our love story really began. Through two years of dating and navigating the process of grad school and moving in together, we knew that this was forever. When COVID-19 struck, John's plans for an anniversary proposal were sidetracked. He was determined as he always is, though to make it work. So a few days after our two year anniversary of dating, John prepared me a gorgeous and delicious homemade steak dinner and asked me to get dolled up because he had a surprise for me. After setting off every smoke detector in the house (he'll be mad I included that part haha) we had a beautiful dinner and afterwards, John brought me into the living room and proposed. While that night was not the romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant and a proposal at one of the Pittsburgh overlooks that John wanted, I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was absolutely magical, just like our entire journey has been!