In Hallmark fashion, this love story begins in a coffee shop. At the time, Xander was a barista at 3Bean in Baltimore while Katie was in PT school at the University of Maryland. 3Bean happened to be where Katie chose to study on a hot, humid day in June of 2018. Katie accidentally left her credit card and went back the next day to get it. Little did she know that the charming barista who handed back her card would be none other than Xander. In the following weeks, Katie continued to frequent 3Bean in hopes to see and interact with this friendly barista. The two would occasionally chat by the water station beside the espresso machine. After multiple conversations, Xander gave Katie his number and invited her to come to The Sandlot with his friends and she did! From that day forward, they continued to talk and deepen their friendship. The relationship went to another level when Xander introduced Katie to his dogs, Honey and Ghost. She was enamored and immediately fell in love (with the pups). About a year into the relationship, Katie had moved to Sedona, Arizona for a 3 month clinical rotation. As challenging as distance can be, the time apart brought the two closer together. The 2,233 mile, 7 day road trip was an adventure of a life time and they got to do it twice. Exploring 11 states 6 National Parks in that 2 week span. The biggest lesson learned from that trip was that Xander should not be allowed to book Airbnb's. Upon Katie's return to Maryland, she moved in with Xander, Honey, and Ghost. Living life together was the best thing, even during a pandemic. It taught the two how to handle conflict, responsibilities, communication, and selflessness. Katie's creativity and artistic eye brought warmth and life to our space. From the throw pillows, gallery wall, game nights, and home cooked dinners together, their house quickly became their home. So now to the good part. It was an "ordinary" Monday, July 18th, 2022 when Xander and Katie spontaneously decided to hike Old Rag in Shenandoah - a beautiful 9.3 mile hike they've been wanting to do for years. At the summit overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, Xander felt that this was the perfect moment and location to propose. Katie was in shock, but, of course, said "yes"!