We actually met on Bumble. Yeah, you heard it. Bumble. After many hopeful- yet unsuccessful (or "frog-like," as Ania calls them) - attempts at dating by Ania, she finally crossed online paths with Mike, who had committed to speed dating for one month. Luckily for us, it was an instant match- online at least. We talked for a month before exchanging phone numbers and meeting in person. Ania was a bit suspicious because it took an entire month to set up a date. But alas, Mike's "excuses" of constantly having large Beatty family commitments turned out to be true! After a month, we had our first date (May 13, 2017) at Machete Tequila + Tacos in Cherry Creek. It was the best first date we both had ever had. Great conversation, chemistry, easiness with each other, and lots of laughing. We even had a 6-piece band walk in and play a song just for us at the next bar! Needless to say, we were smitten with each other from the start. We figure we've crossed paths many times at events in Colorado in the past, but we never actually met each other. So glad we finally did! The rest, as the say, is history. Who knew two people with such strong personalities would get along so well and find love? We are blessed, and our love is strong. You never know how much you are missing in your life until the right person comes along. Thanks for celebrating with us this weekend! Please just be careful, as the Polish and Irish mixture is a dangerous thing at a party.

Well, COVID didn't make this part of the story very easy. But after three years of hearing his family ask him when he was "going to make an honest woman" out of Ania, Mike decided he had to get creative. Obviously, his options were limited during lockdowns and mask mandates. There's a restaurant called The Fort in Morrison, Colorado off Hwy 285 that Mike often mentioned to Ania. It is on the way to the Beatty cabin in Buena Vista, and it has the perfect "Old West" feel, as it's a replica of a famous Colorado fur trade fort from the 1800s. It has hosted a G8 Summit and Pope John Paul II, along with many other significant events. Mike said it was a special place and expressed a need for Ania to eat there sometime. She vowed she would. On July 30, 2020, Mike told Ania he was finally able to get a reservation at The Fort. He insisted that it required formal attire, despite it being more of a cowboy joint. Ania planned accordingly. Meanwhile, Mike coordinated with his childhood friend, Adam Dawkins, to capture the moment when it happened. Adam staked out the space and hid behind bushes and trees until Mike and Ania arrived. A few hours and a several undercover phone calls later, Mike and Ania took a seat at their table. But before they ate, Mike told Ania she should go outside (to the helicopter pad) to take in the views. She complied, thank God. Ania's words: "All of a sudden he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. I had no idea exactly what else he said because I was in shock. He still won’t tell me to this day. Of course I said yes! Then his friend, Adam, emerged from the bushes to take photos. He was there all along. We, of course, had THE most romantic dinner after that. It was magical. Made it even more special because Mike's parents got engaged there many years ago, and his dad had passed away just two months before. I definitely felt Tom Beatty smiling down. I love this man and could not ask for better a partner. On cloud nine!"