Our love story begins during the tumultuous time of the COVID pandemic. We were matched on a dating website in May of 2021, and after a few weeks of getting to know each other, we decided to meet. Hnin, initially unsure about Michael, immediately thought he was cute and was impressed by his charming and kind personality. Michael was drawn to Hnin’s sweet and caring nature from the get-go. That second year of the pandemic was tough for everyone, but our blossoming companionship, late nights spent binge watching movies and tv-shows, and sharing silly moments together all made it a little easier to cope with the chaos of that time.


One of the many things Michael loves about Hnin is her bond with his sister Kate, who was actually the first person in Michael’s family who Hnin met. Kate has always had a special place in Michael’s heart, and seeing how effortlessly and naturally Hnin was at getting along with Kate made Michael realize he had made the right choice in a partner.


We both love animals, and Hnin knew she was truly in love with Michael after the tragic death of her pet parakeet Kiwi. Kiwi’s passing was devastating to Hnin, but when she saw how sad Michael was as well and how he comforted her through her grief, she realized she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.


In January of 2022, our pet family grew when Hnin rescued our dog Phoebe from a shelter. Or really it would be more accurate to say when Phoebe chose Hnin to take her home. Phoebe is quite the character and she has brought so much joy into our lives. If it wasn’t obvious before, Hnin loves birds and we have three adorable parakeets: Woosa, Quiet, and Blue and a cockatiel who Hnin rescued named Cue Cue. Their songs bring a unique charm to our home.


We and our menagerie of pets moved into our first apartment together in October 2022. After almost a year of living together and our love for one another only getting stronger, Michael proposed to Hnin in September of 2023. Shortly after, we were so fortunate to find a house in Richmond we both absolutely love, and it borders a beautiful park which has created many adventures for our pup Phoebe.


We are very grateful for the beautiful life we have built together and we can not wait to celebrate our love for each other with our wonderful family and friends.