I first met Ross on a Friday night, probably June of 2024, at my brother William's house. He was sitting in a corner by himself, kind of in the shadows, so I couldn't see him very well. He was introduced to me and my sister Lorna at the same time, so he didn't know who was who for a while. I thought he was good-lookin', but I wasn't looking for anything at that point, and filed that information away for later/never. He started working for William, and so I heard about him every so often, "William's work wife", we called him. So I kind of got to know him through work stories, and whenever he would come to William's Friday Night Dinners. He sounded like a really good guy, and hey! He had a house! But again, I wasn't looking for anything, so there was no point in thinking about it. So I definitely didn't think about it. Ever. Nope. I then decided to dedicate my life to Chipotle, my workplace at the time, climb the corporate ladder, and be a cool, rich, single auntie. This was January, 2025. Then, late February, William asked me what my opinion on guys was now, you know, we hadn't talked about that recently... After, I asked him if it was because he was just curious or if someone else was asking. He said, "A little of both." Of course, randomly, Ross has been hanging out with us after church on Sundays, and William is always saying he's trying to get him to come over and hang out more often. But, of course, I shouldn't think anything about this, nothing is happening, no one is definitely interested, why are you asking? Don't worry, don't notice anything, there's absolutely nothing to notice... Poor guys didn't know I had them figured out the first day. But I knew to act like nothing was happening, because, you know, nothing was happening. Until April 3rd. I was in my pajamas, I had just been explaining that I worked days that made more money, and therefore I was better... anyways, Ross was in his work clothes having just dropped off our stool that he had made a new seat for. I think he called it an investment in the future? Or something like that. Then he asked me to go out on the porch with him, and told me he was interested in me, was I interested in him, and would I like to go out with him and see if this was a possibility? We went out for coffee that weekend as friends first, and talked for more than four hours, about any and everything that would be important to know about the other person to see if we could work together. Then we had our first date on April 10th, and by the end, both thought, "Hey! I think this could work!" August 20th, my parents had just returned home from Scotland the night before, Ross came over, and texted me to ask me to unlock the door. I didn't know it at the time, but he had had William re-lock the door after he'd gone in so that Ross could lure me out onto the porch. So he was in his work clothes, and I was in my pajamas, and he asked me to marry him. Guess what I said...

I told him no. It was December-ish of 2024, William Wallace, Ethan Stoltzfus, and I were discussing the frustrations with dating apps, trying to meet people organically, and overall dating prospects. William said that at his church there were plenty of available ladies at his church MCPC, however he is related to almost all of them. "But you don't have that issue." William stated. I stared at him as he continued with "I have four wonderful sisters." At this point I was not interested at all in any of his sisters and wasn't keen on the idea. I told him no. It wasn't until a month later I started actually thinking about it. Who would actually be a fit for me of any of them? Because I was friends with William, I was around the family enough to get some firsthand insight. Nick was not my speed in the slightest, and two of the girls were much too young for where I wanted to be in life. Which left Fiona, the middle Wallace out of seven. I started paying attention to how she treated the people around her, listening to stories of her at work, finding that everyone who calls her 'friend' had a glowing review of her, even people who aren't close to her. I was very intrigued. It wasn't until late February that we actually had an opportunity to talk alone. Family was always around and because of her introverted nature and the social drain of her job, she wasn't one to talk around people. One Sunday evening when everyone except her were going to church, I stayed back to 'finish my coffee' which for the record it had just been made and put in a mug, so I couldn't drive with it and it was very hot, a perfect excuse to stay and talk a bit. So we got to know a bit about each other... I kept watching. Looking for hints that she may have an opinion on me one way or another, and for more good or bad things about her. I had made the mistake of telling William that I was thinking about Fiona, and a grin split across his face. He promised to not say anything, but knowing William and the family, something was bound to be said. On the Friday night after I told him, he ended up trying to casually ask Fiona what she thought about dating and how she would feel if maybe possibly one of his coworkers was maybe possibly interested. Luckily for me, I was the favored option of any of William's friends to be interested in her. I myself was set on asking her out, it was simply a matter of getting the courage and the opportunity... Mrs Wallace had asked William to fix one of her barstools. The weaved top was falling apart, and she wanted a board set on top to keep it usable. When he didn't take it on, I swooped in and started working on it. On April third, I was going to start a new project that happened to be right across the street from the Wallace's house. I showed up to the Wallace's first, with a newly refinished stool, and walked into the kitchen to deliver it, and as long as Fiona was up, ask her out. Mrs Wallace marveled about the stool, it was more than she had thought would be done for it, and she asked me what she owed me for restoring it. Me being nervous and ridiculous, I responded with "Consider it an investment." By this point, Mrs Wallace knew exactly what was going on and cleared the room so Fiona and I could talk. I asked Fiona if she would step outside to the porch to talk, and she agreed. I told her flat out what I was thinking, that I thought she was great and wanted to know her better, so we agreed to meet at her favorite coffee shop on Saturday April fifth. That day we talked for four and a half hours and I've never been so certain of a person. Since then hanging out with her has been fantastic, everything major and minor we agree on with nearly no exceptions. And by five months of having a new best friend, I proposed. I've never had an easier life decision as I did that day, and I've never doubted us for a second.