As you might imagine, dating during the Covid-19 pandemic wasn't easy. Dating apps became very popular during this time! Sam and Becca shared their first conversation on the dating app "Bumble" on April 28, 2020. Sam's profile mentioned pizza and Becca's profile mentioned mac-and-cheese. To this day, there is a bumble bee emoji next to Sam's name on Becca's phone.

During the height of the pandemic, restaurants/bars/movie theaters/etc were not open. Options for a first date were limited. Sam and Becca therefore had their first date in Becca's apartment in downtown Kalamazoo. Sparks started flying immediately! They ordered takeout pizza and watched "The Office". The couple quickly became inseparable after that.

Over the next months to years, Sam and Becca spent as much free time together as possible. Sam, a Michigan native, showed Becca all the wonderful things Michigan had to offer. The couple spent every free warm day or evening out on a pontoon boat on Long Lake (where Sam grew up). Both Becca and Sam consider Long Lake the place that they fell in love.

Sam and Becca moved in together after Becca graduated General Surgery residency at the end of June, 2022. They lived in Sam's house for approximately 2 weeks. You read that right, only 2 weeks. Then, with the help of their friends, they packed up a U-Haul and moved to North Carolina for Becca to complete a 1-year surgical fellowship in Winston-Salem.

Both Becca and Sam adore dogs. Between new jobs and moving to NC, there never seemed to be a right time to adopt a dog of their own. They spent Christmas with Becca's family in Nashville in 2022 and were surrounded by 7 dogs. Once they returned to NC, they decided they couldn't take it any longer and started checking local shelters for dogs. The couple visited Forsyth County Humane Society. They met Winnie and immediately fell in love with her. They adopted her the very next morning and the rest is history. Now Winnie is the Queen Bee, runs the entire house, and is spoiled rotten!

After the 1-year surgical fellowship in Winston-Salem, Becca accepted a job in Western North Carolina. The couple (and Winnie) made yet another move just 1 year after their previous move. They bought a house together in Fletcher, NC. The garage is big enough for Sam to work on his cars. And of course, the yard is big enough for Winnie to run around and play!

Sam and Becca returned to Michigan for 4th of July (one of Sam's favorite holidays). They took the boat out on Long Lake to "take Winnie swimming" (or so Becca believed). In the middle of the lake, Sam turned the boat off and Becca went to put on Winnie's doggie life-vest. It was then, on the lake where they fell in love 4 years prior, that Sam got down on one knee and proposed! They got to spend the rest of 4th of July weekend celebrating with friends and family in Michigan!