Always & Forever

Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. It also marks the unofficial start of Kirsten and Josh. It was Memorial Day Weekend 2004 when Kirsten first realized Josh had a crush on her - and the feelings were mutual. Kirsten hosted a small barbecue for her friends to celebrate the end of 7th grade. While the entire group had fun playing wiffle ball, throwing water balloons and watching scary movies, Kirsten and Josh especially hit it off. At one point during the day, Kirsten’s dad looked over and said “I can see myself sitting on the couch with Josh watching football.” Hint taken. The pair didn’t see much of each other over the summer but as soon as school started, they were inseparable. Finally, after playing coy (Kirsten) for a few months, Kirsten and Josh became boyfriend and girlfriend in early November after their friend Timmy called to ask Kirsten on Josh’s behalf. But then something felt off. The Josh who used to tease Kirsten and make her laugh seemed different. Kirsten didn’t like it so she called the relationship off a few days later. As each day went by, however, she missed her best friend. Like her Dad, she could picture sitting on the couch with Josh watching football - or the Phillies. A week later on November 16, 2004, Kirsten called their friend Michael - she didn’t have the nerve to do it herself - to ask Josh to give it another go. The couple have been by each other’s side ever since. High school, proms, World Series, graduations, babies, college, countless summers down the shore, first jobs, deaths, vacations. They have been through it all. Throughout the years, Memorial Day Weekend continued to be a special time for them. Each year they would go to Ocean City, have dinner at their favorite restaurant, and daydream about the future. On May 26, 2018, 14 years after Kirsten’s Memorial Day Weekend barbecue, Josh officially asked Kirsten the question he already asked a thousand times before. She said yes.