PJ and I knew each other's siblings long before we actually knew one another. Growing up, PJ played hockey with my brother, David, and I played softball with his sister, Izzy. Therefore, we knew of each other, but not much more. Our paths crossed again a few years later in the Sun Prairie High School library, where all the cool kids hung out during study hall. PJ sat at the table next to mine, just close enough for me to overhear all of his "hilarious" jokes. It wasn't long before we struck up a friendship. Over the years, our friendship grew into a relationship. The summer before heading off to college, we decided it was a good idea to date. Turns out, it was.

On a beautiful, warm night at Alki Beach in West Seattle, while the sun set behind the Olympic mountains, Neal and I walked down the shoreline. We settled on a bench far enough out of earshot from family members. In what I can only describe as an out of body experience, I asked Neal if he would be ok with me asking Katie to marry me. Instantaneously, he said, "Wonderful," and I melted into tears and hugged him. When we rejoined the rest of the crew, they were joking about how I must have asked Neal for permission to ask Katie to marry me. Our nephew, Justin, was the most direct. "PJ, did you ask Grandpa if you could marry Auntie Katie?" "Yep," I replied. A few days later, Katie and I were back in Shorewood. Prior to embarking on a trip to Europe, I met our friend Zach at Colectivo. He agreed to transport the ring to Europe with us. Since Katie and I had similar bags, I wanted to ensure she would not stumble upon it. Zach took the ring for safekeeping and I told him that I would ask for it when the time was right. We were in Oxford, England on August 14 - our 10-year anniversary. We arrived on an overcast, mildly rainy, picturesque English day. After spending the afternoon taking in some sites and relaxing in the Turf Tavern, an approximately 640-year-old pub, I knew the time was right. I made up some ill-conceived, unbelievable story to coax Katie back to Christ Church with me. The vivid green quad and beige Gothic buildings surrounding was the perfect back drop for the most important moment in my life. As we approached the tunnel entrance that freed us into the quad, I noticed that for the first time since we arrived, it was completely deserted. I could not have asked for a better moment. I walked Katie to the fountain in the middle of the quad and, in a light rain, got down on a knee and asked Katie if she would have me as her husband. It was the best moment of life. tl/dr: I asked Katie to marry me. She said, "Yes." This is so cool.