In a split-second decision during a mundane workday, Joe decided to get off the subway en route home and instead, meet up with Rachel at The Jeffrey after she successfully nudged Joe to "not be lame" following a week of conversation beforehand. Rachel’s persistence and Joe’s phenomenal decision-making skills turned a regular day into the day their foundation was created, leading to them to decide to spend the rest of their lives together. The persistence part is important because after just one date, planet Earth decided to put their relationship growth to the test, but both parties willingly accepted to take on the challenges laid out in front of them. Between extended stays on Long Island and New York City, playing a rotating shuffle game between houses and apartments in Plainview, New Hyde Park, Port Washington, and Manhattan that included an absurd number of car rides, Joe and Rachel’s relationship took shape at a quicker-than-usual pace. The uncertainty of events happening on the outside made focusing on one another perhaps the easiest part of the ever changing journey. Without the ability to control the events happening around them, it was natural for Joe and Rachel to support and uplift one another daily, as they were molding positive vibes within the bleak aura on the outside. When Earth loosened the reins, Joe and Rachel were eager to show their friends and family what they’ve been working on, and it became increasingly clear to everyone involved that they were a true dynamic duo. And now? We celebrate. We celebrate friends and family that shaped Joe and Rachel into the people they became and how they’ll represent each other in the future. We celebrate Joe and Rachel for each being their own biggest supporters from March of 2020 until forever. To the past, present and future, cheers.