A big thank you goes to Kristen and Tony Santilli for suggesting that we might enjoy each other's company. It took some cajoling to get either of us to agree to sharing phone numbers but Kristen and Tony didn't give up and we finally gave in.

We met for the first time for drinks and five hours later we still hadn't run out of things to talk about. We followed that first date up with dinner the following night, and the rest, as they say, is history. We talked every day and made our crazy schedules work so that we rarely missed a day of seeing each other.

We had each set parameters for possible partners, and we thought those would intentionally limit our dating pools to ZERO. Abby wasn't interested in someone who was married before or who had children because her own are plenty. Lou wasn't interested in teachers or drama and wanted someone who was kind hearted--and look how that turned out! Love truly does happen when you're least expecting it.

We introduced Hannah first and it was love at first sight. Lou and Hannah are fiercely protective of each other and sometimes it's hard to tell which one is the child. Noah was a harder sell but they bonded over machine guns and motorcycles. Zach came home from college to meet Lou and said, Mom, if you're happy then I'm happy. That relationship really took off when they discovered a shared love of billiards. Most of our nights are partially spent in the basement playing pool with a group of college kids.

Unbeknownst to me, Lou worked with my longtime friend, mentor, and former teacher, Kathy Yolish to design the perfect ring for me. Then he held onto it for months, waiting for the perfect time to propose. We know that time is precious and the time Lou chose was perfect. We spend time each summer with our friends, Pete and Lauren Johnson and our families, at their house in the Cape. Lou had planned a private dinner proposal at a restaurant in town and excitedly told Pete of the plan. Pete suggested doing it at the house on the bluff so he could take pictures and video. So on July 23rd, after an amazing lobster dinner, we changed into comfy clothes and settled in for a relaxing evening with friends. In the middle of conversation, Lou got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Surprised is an understatement! While we may not have been dressed up or out on the town, it was the perfect moment, in the perfect place, at the perfect time.

We're thrilled that you're playing a part in our love story. We look forward to celebrating our marriage with you.

-Abby & Lou

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