Our story began when we met in 2013 at the Antelope Valley Community College in Lancaster, California. Genie was in an environmental biology class that Chris's Dad (Bob) was teaching. Chris brought in coffee to his Dad and stayed for the class. After the class, Genie and her friend were discussing her friend's missing car keys (which she left somewhere on campus). Chris helped them find the security office on campus to see if they were turned in. Then he walked both Genie and her friend to their cars. Genie gave Chris a ride back to his car and they chatted in the parking lot till 3:00 a.m. when the campus security came and asked them to leave.

In 2023, Chris proposed to Genie. He took a photo (one that was created for their 1 year anniversary) and made slight changes to it to represent an engagement ring. While Genie was working online with one of her students, Chris hung up the picture in the hall outside the room she was teaching in. He waited to see if Genie would recognize the change in the picture. A couple days went by and Chris told Genie a story about someone swapping a picture of Jesus with a picture of Obi Wan Kenobi and the person didn't realize it for months. Genie mentioned that she would have noticed that change quickly. Chris then brought up our original picture and asked me to look at it and then took me to the one he hung up. Genie realized it was different from the original but then noticed the ring that was added. When Genie asked what the ring was, Chris pulled the ring out and proposed. Genie said yes as she was laughing because she didn't notice that change as quick as she thought she would.

Chris and Genie have 3 loving fur babies: our dog, Apollo, who will be 6 in September; Our cat, Stuart, who is about 5; and our cat, Nagai, who is 4.

Genie and Chris enjoy going to concerts, amusement parks, hiking/fishing, and exploring new things that come into town or are in the area.

Genie and Chris started their Once Upon a Time in 2013. After 11 years of being together, they will be starting their happily ever after!