After 2 mutual friends suggested that we meet, on two separate occassions, we finally gave in and went out on our first date on July 29, 2017. The first date jitters dissipated pretty quickly as we enjoyed each other’s company over dinner at Persimmons restaurant on the New Bern waterfront. We were having such a good time goofing off and getting to know each other that we decided to catch a movie after dinner. What’s the one thing that makes a mediocre movie better? Watching it in good company, of course. Nick asked Christy if she wanted to meet his sweet chocolate lab, Izzy, before dropping her off for the night. With dogs being one of Christy’s greatest weaknesses, the obvious answer was: YES! Things clicked right away for this trio, and needless to say, the rest is history!

We were on vacation in Ocracoke Island for our 1 year anniversary, soaking up the quality time together and away from the hustle and bustle of busy work schedules. The cottage we were staying in had a private beach access behind it, just a short walking distance away from Springer’s Point (hello, Blackbeard). We made a habit of going for a stroll along the beach behind the cottage every evening to catch the breathtaking sunsets over the water. The last night of our stay, we were finishing up a nice dinner at the Flying Melon when Nick started getting a little antsy for the check to arrive. He insisted he didn’t want to miss the last beach sunset of our trip, and as soon as the check arrived he threw the cash on the table and we were out the door. Once we got back to the cottage, we tossed our shoes and made our way towards the beach for one last beach stroll just as the sun was disappearing over the ocean. We took a “selfie” to document our first anniversary and the end of a pretty perfect weekend. Nick asked Christy if she thought the picture turned out okay, to which she nonchalantly replied, “yeah, sure” and shrugged her shoulders. He continued on, “What about this one...?” as something shiny caught Christy’s attention out of the corner of her eye. While trying to bring the shiny object into focus and simultaneously process what was happening, she went all. the. way. cross-eyed. Nick managed to capture the entire occasion in a series of photos, thanks to his thoughtful ingenuity (and sneakiness).