Christina and Jeff met nearly 30 years ago through Christina's brother, who Jeff befriended in the third grade. Christina and Jeff had been passing each other in the halls from elementary school all the way through college — weaving through life's ups and downs apart from one another. For years, Jeff had casually messaged Christina online to meet up. Christina never took it seriously and could never envision dating a man who loved fishing so much. But in October 2023, everything changed. Christina messaged Jeff on Instagram and in one final attempt, Jeff asked Christina on a date. She agreed, and they had dinner at Santo Mezcal in Santa Barbara. Jeff held the car door open for Christina and she teased him for carrying a knife in his pocket. They talked until closing time and quickly became inseparable. By a stroke of luck (and surprise), they got pregnant with Leo shortly after. It was the start of a beautiful adventure together. Through pregnancy and parenthood, they fell deeper in love — they became a family. Jeff proposed to Christina on December 10th, 2024 by the Christmas tree in their living room with a song he wrote. The last verse was "Christina Barton will you marry me, make me the happiest man that I could be. Show me the world through your golden eyes. Say yes, and be my wife."