We met when I was an 8th grader on the varsity throwing team, and Jimmy (or Casey as I knew him then) was a senior. Casey was the kindest and funniest member of the team (ok, and most handsome too). He was always looking out for everyone. I'll never forget the first time I saw him. I had just finished up the warm up mile, and the boys team was finishing up their half mile warm up (no I'm not still bitter about that...). I saw this red faced guy in a blue sweatsuit smiling away, and cracking jokes the whole run. I was dying to meet him. Life brought us in different directions for a few years, but we always stayed friendly, and were happy to bump into each other around town. It was summer of 2017 when Jim and I started talking after I posted something funny on facebook. He messaged me about it, we started talking, and then decided to get together for drinks to catch up. It quickly became clear that we did not want to disconnect and have to "catch up" ever again. We wanted to be in each other's lives. In less than a year, we moved into our apartment in the Bronx where we got use to putting up with each other's crazy schedules. Over these past few years, we have proven to each other that we are a love that can withstand the ups and downs life throws at us. Whether it be covid, the death of a family member, welcoming a new family member into the world, or dealing with work of buying a home of our own, we have loved each other through it all. Now life has finally brought us to the alter, and we cannot wait to share our happiest day with all of you.

Jim and I went on a hiking trip to Lake Placid for Veterans Day Weekend 2022. The day we had everything planned for, we woke up to freezing rain, and calls from the different mountains saying the conditions were too dangerous, and the mountains would be closed. We wandered around the area all day looking for something to do. Our day started with a trip to the TB museum in Saranac Lake (romantic), and then we tried some nature walks around the flatter areas. Most of these were a bus, as a lot of the trails were flooded. The day was ending, and I was a little disappointed, because I was looking forward to hiking Mount Von Hoevenberg, because it had the best views of the entire area. To my surprise, when we got in the car to head back to the hotel, Jim suggested we just head to the mountain and try to hike it. We got there at 3:45 knowing the sun would set at 4:30. Jim, the ever cautious and careful hiker said "let's try". A lot of people have asked at this point if I was suspicious that he may pop the question on the mountain. Not really, because I never thought we would actually reach the top. About halfway up, sliding in mud, sweating, and wheezing (I forgot my inhaler) Jim said he thought we should head back, because he didn't think I could handle it......so I started running up the mountain. The view was breathtaking at the top (or I may have just been out of breath). I was so thrilled we took the risk. It was just us on the top of the mountain, looking out over the whole world, right at sunset. I have to admit, at that point I thought Jim might propose, when he said "ok let's head back before it's too dark". My heart sank with fear of climbing back down in the dark. That's when Jim asked me to help him up. He had bent over to tie his shoe. I was so annoyed he was being so needy, because I really was starting to get nervous about the descent. When I grabbed his hand, he didn't let me go, and then I saw him pull a box out of his pocket. I heaved and sobbed, he asked, I said yes. We hugged, and kissed, and then floated back down the mountain.