We met while working at the same company in New York, though our first interaction happened before Brigid had even joined the team. When she arrived for her interview, she found herself sitting in the lobby next to Alex, who was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt and casually making small talk while they waited. Given how relaxed he seemed, Brigid assumed he was a patient. A half hour later, he walked into the office where she was interviewing, sat down across from her in the same outfit, and began asking questions. She realized pretty quickly that she may have misread the situation in the lobby. We stayed connected through work and gradually got to know each other outside of it. By the fall of 2022, what started as easy conversation and shared time together had become something more, helped in part by Alex’s tendency to be extremely open about just about everything. Brigid had a few moments of wondering whether that level of honesty was standard, but decided to lean in. On Christmas Day, after both navigating complicated holiday gatherings, we ended up back in New York talking honestly about how we felt. We’ve considered that night the start of our relationship ever since. Since then, there’s been plenty of time together, a lot of travel, and a shared tendency to say yes to plans, trips, and whatever feels like an adventure. We’ve grown alongside each other personally and professionally and have built a relationship that feels steady, supportive, and still rooted in a sense of adventure. Alex proposed at Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side, under the pretense of heading to a party. Instead, a couple of Brigid’s close friends were waiting nearby as he got down on one knee. She said yes, and we celebrated the way we tend to do most things: together and with the people closest to us, once she recovered from the surprise. We’re looking forward to continuing to grow together, supporting each other through whatever comes next, and building a life, and eventually a family, surrounded by the people who have been part of our story from the beginning.