...Martin swiped right, then Christina swiped right, Christina messaged Martin, and Bumble created another perfect match.

We had our first date at Tazza D'Oro in Highland Park on March 12, 2019. Conversation highlights include Harry Potter & their French and German translations (Martin has read the complete series in the German while I've only skimmed the first book in the French); the discovery of our mutual love of the TV show Community; and the "who has the worst birthday" competition (Martin--Cinco de Mayo, Christina--9/11). I thought it went well, but I knew for sure that it had gone well when Martin texted me the next day to ask if I'd like to get dinner sometime.

We did a lot in that first year together. We went to Erik & Laura's wedding in Maine, visited Megan & Anil in Los Angeles, and spent Christmas and Thanksgiving together. We went to museums, hockey games, baseball games, went mini-golfing and did tons of other boring to describe traditional date-y things. We ate, and continue to eat, a lot of meals at the Colombian Spot on the South Side. Not only is it delicious, but it's the only restaurant in the city that I trust to feed me without being glutened or requiring epinephrine!

We celebrated our one year dating anniversary on March 12th, 2020, at the Colombian Spot. The waiter brought us plastic cups and utensils--"The city's rules because of that virus." We listened as a guy at the next table complained loudly about the "paranoia" and demanded of his friends, "Tell me, besides Tom Hanks, do you know anyone who actually has it?" We went for a a walk along the river and I stopped in the Aerie at the South Side Works for some comfy leggings since "I'm going to be inside for two weeks."

The next few months were strange and confusing. There is no need to explain it--everybody remembers the "we're flying the airplane as we build it" feeling of covid at that time. The five of us were isolated in Bradford Woods while Martin was down in Lawrenceville with Matt, everybody unsure if we'd infect one another. But luckily things evened out, a new normal was established, we got to eat outside at Colombian Spot, and then things got really busy.

I was in graduate school & student teaching; Martin was working from home for HCL. He stayed at the house for a week or so around Thanksgiving--our first without Carolyn--which then turned into a month. Eventually, part of the roof at his place in Lawrenceville collapsed and so Martin came to the house to stay. In December of 2020 we drove to Dayton, Ohio to pick up our Luna, AKA Looney Toons. Everyone was glad to have a puppy around! Except for Shadow, of course, who would not be with us for much longer but was still full of energy, full of love for us, and always willing to show his teefs to the puppy.

In February we moved a few miles down the road to an apartment in McCandless. Very soon after, it was Valentine's Day. I gave Martin a bunch of fancy chocolate and he said thanks, but that he didn't get me anything. I shrugged it off, but my interior Basic Bitch wanted something--a teddy bear, a bouquet of allergy-inducing flowers--something. This cliché bitterness might have contributed to a questionable mood as we drove to my parent's house for dinner, as is our hobby on Sundays. Martin suggested we go for a walk with Luna, still a small tater tot, and I was like...nah. Then we got to the house where my mom loudly and not so subtly demanded that I go for a walk with Martin. He suggested that we visit the pond, the modest nature preserve in Bradford Woods which is both beautiful and holds many childhood memories, but I mandated that we walk around the elementary school. On the soccer field, close to the classrooms that I spent first and second grades in, with our little fluff ball of a dog with us, Martin asked me to marry him.

My mom was outside with Shadow and Buster when we walked back home. She was probably taking out the trash or something, but with the ulterior motive of waiting for us. I think she said something--"How was your walk?" before we were even in the driveway. I held up my hand and yelled, "I think you already know!" We called Martin's parents and my grandparents, FaceTimed with Jonathan & Tamra (I wish I had a video of their reactions--they were so sweet), and texted loads of people. I think Carolyn had already shown the ring to half of them, but they were all thrilled and surprised nonetheless.

And here we are! Counting down the days until the event itself! We've had tons more adventures since all of this--a socially distanced, early pandemic camp out at a Lutheran camp on Lake Chautauqua with Mary & Tom, the camp itself holding memories for she and Martin. We've gone on trips to New York, Charlotte, and Sullivan County and vacationed in Hilton Head. Martin is currently getting a second Master's degree in Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. I'm teaching 9th and 11th grade English at a charter school in Pittsburgh and can only describe the experience as the most stressful and chaotic year of my life. (If I look dead on my feet at the wedding, it's because I will have stopped teaching mere days before).

We are so lucky to have so many amazing and loving people in our lives and we can't wait to celebrate with all of you in June. I'm not usually one to wish that time goes by quickly, but I do hope it moves as quickly as the rest of this year has.

--Christina