Cory and I met at work in January 2019. I knew I wanted to get to know him so I invited his department to grab drinks at a nearby board game bar. Cory thinks he beat me at every game but I’m fairly certain I was the one beating him! We had a great time so we began talking and spending more time together. On our first date, he made me pasta with his family’s sauce and meatballs. He talked a lot about his family and I knew very quickly that he was something special. We began dating in February and I began living with him in October 2019. When the pandemic hit, being able to lean on each other during such a time of uncertainty made our relationship that much stronger. We decided to take a leap and get our first apartment together in May 2020. We began to build a home together and then in December, he gave me the biggest surprise.

Chelsea and I met at work. At first I only knew her as the cute girl that takes out the trash through our side of the building. I asked my co-workers if they knew who she was but everyone was clueless as to who I was talking about. Then one day, Chelsea was showing a guest around, wandered upstairs and met the Art Department bunch. She was immediately loved by everyone with her bubbly personality and inviting smile. After a quick introduction, Chelsea found herself upstairs on a daily basis to greet everyone and gift us with sweet treats. That week, Chelsea invited the department for drinks at a bar called Guild Hall. I have never seen anyone convince our entire department to come out after work but, to my surprise, she was able to gather everyone. Upon arrival, Chelsea already had a table and open chairs for each person. I was one of the first to arrive and Chelsea and I began to get to know each other. That night was filled with laughter, victories, and defeats. Even though Chelsea was defeated by me in every board game we played, our victory became the loving relationship we still hold to this day.

After sleeping in after a long day at work the night prior, I woke up to a phone call from my parents and Chelsea about to leave to grab some groceries. As Chelsea was on her way out, my mother reminded me that I need to live my life at its fullest and to jump at every opportunity without holding back. In that moment, I realized December 13th was going to be the day I proposed. After holding onto a ring for a little over a month, I never knew when would be the right time, but that moment just felt right. The second Chelsea left, I hung up the phone with my parents. I immediately called Chelsea’s stepfather, Tony, and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Both of Chelsea’s parents gave me their blessing and were more than happy to include me in their family. Moving quickly, since Chelsea could be back at any minute, I jumped into the shower, brushed my teeth and threw on my best suit and tie. I frantically ran around the house collecting every candle I could find, placed them in the living room and lit every one of them. After a quick breath, I jumped onto Spotify and found a song that Chelsea always said she would want to be our First Dance song if we got married. Right as I uncovered the engagement ring from its hiding spot, I saw Chelsea pull up and park. I greeted Chelsea at the door and told her to come in. Clueless that I was wearing a suit and tie, she was very anxious to move her car from a temporary parking spot. I told her I didn’t care about the car and brought her inside. Still not realizing what was going on, she noticed the candles, the song, and wanted to dance with me like we have done in the past. This time I caught her off guard and did not dance with her— I got on one knee and said everything that came to mind about how much I love her and how I want to spend my life with her. Before my knee even hit the ground, Chelsea burst into tears finally realizing what was going on and immediately said she would marry me.

Cory had worked long hours the day before so I got up early to go grocery shopping while he slept in. I ran out of the apartment in some lounge pants and one of his baggy sweaters because I was just going grocery shopping, right? When I returned, I parked my car in a red zone because I figured I could just run the groceries up to the apartment and then run down to move my car. When I got to the door, he opened it and was fully dressed in a button-up and tie. I was frantically trying to hand him the groceries, so much so that I didn’t even register how he was dressed. He kept telling me to come inside and I kept insisting that I just needed to hand him the groceries so I could move my car. He finally told me to forget about my car and to come inside. It was then that I noticed what he was wearing, all of the candles he had lit, and the music that was coming from our living room. Now anyone who knows me knows I cry over the Johnson & Johnson commercials during the Olympics when the athletes talk about how much they love their mothers. Needless to say, I was crying so much that I honestly couldn’t tell you what Cory said to me but I can tell you that when he got down on one knee in front of our Christmas tree and asked me to be with him forever, I’ve never felt a more perfect moment. Standing there, him dressed so nicely and me dressed like I rolled out of bed (because I did), I can say without a second’s hesitation that I would not change a single part of the best moment of my life.