Messages

[Katie]

I was on break for the holidays and about to move away to Potsdam for the semester…this close to giving up on the dating apps after countless awkward first dates. We started texting on my birthday. Charlie’s messages immediately made me laugh with all of his Disney quotes and goofy humor that I knew right away matched mine.

The First Date

[Charlie]

If I am being honest… “wife material.” I knew she was the one. She planned the first date, which was a first for me, and that showed she was genuinely interested. I was excited. I remember being in my apartment parking lot and she texted “be there soon.”

[Katie]

He texted that he would be in a silver Nissan, and I felt safer about meeting a stranger in the Heid’s hot dog stand parking lot. Charlie said, “so don’t go getting into any red Hondas,” not knowing I would be arriving in my parents’ red Honda. Christmas music played, conversation flowed easily, and after finding out we had each injured our thumbs in the past, I challenged Charlie to a thumb wrestle. The date was a whole 30 minutes and I only saw the right side of his face, but I knew I wanted to see him again.

[Charlie]

I got her hot chocolate, even after she said she didn’t need anything, because I was going to bring her something regardless. It was half a date for Katie since she only saw half my face…

Potsdam & Distance

[Charlie]

She told me, “funny story, I am going to be living in a town two and a half hours away” and I said “eh, that’s cool.”

[Katie]

I told him about my rural medicine rotation and how I would be two hours away but emphasized that it is more “traveling for work” and that I would come back into town often for the people I care about.

[Charlie]

There were a lot of virtual dates and phone calls. On February 3rd, she called me after work on one of the snowiest freakin’ days in years to tell me she wanted to be exclusive…then “got to go, bye.”

[Katie]

We spent our phone calls running through online lists of random questions to ask on a date, and I quickly got to know more of Charlie’s romantic side. I learned how aligned our values and goals for the future really were.

[Charlie]

We celebrated Valentine’s Day virtually by

watching How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (Katie’s favorite romcom), followed by an in-person weekend trip to Potsdam where we watched About Time (my favorite). She got me an over-the-door basketball game. I remember I had the ball, four seconds left, I boxed her out, went left, went right, then DUNKED IT. I also found

out the only thing to do in Potsdam was to leave Potsdam.

Moving to Albany

[Katie]

He had said early on “there is a lot of work in my field, it’s easier for me to pick up and go somewhere else.” This took a big weight off my shoulders, as I entered the residency application season. I moved into his apartment in October 2023, and he set up an office in his guest room for me to conduct my interviews from.

[Charlie]

I didn’t really see her; she was held up in the home office working hard. I knew she was excited about residency applications. I got to see her decision-making skills firsthand. We were very excited and nervous for Match Day. If I am being honest, I didn’t really care where we ended up. I knew we would be able to handle where we went. However, Albany and Syracuse would have been

slightly more convenient of course.

[Katie]

Charlie got a position at Albany Med, of all places! What a man to not only relocate, but then move in with my family with me, even while I went to Syracuse two separate weeks. Charlie was becoming more and more part of the family.

The Proposal

[Charlie]

January 13, 2024: I told her I was going to stay back to work on my resume with Shannon, while Katie went on an outing with Elle. I had to stop Brad from leaving. “I lied, my resume is fine, I don’t need help with that today.” I told them about my job prospects in Albany and my intentions with Katie, and I asked for their blessing.

[Charlie]

February 11, 2024: When Katie was out of town, I snuck out to Albany. I had the whole arsenal for ring shopping: three Hutton sisters, Shannon, and Aly. We tried two stores and narrowed the options down to two rings. The

others emphasized getting Katie the ring she would want, but wouldn’t normally get for herself. That is just how Katie is.

[Charlie]

April 6, 2024: The night before, I was anxious as hell, but tried to keep my cool so she wouldn’t pick up on anything. It was like Christmas Eve, I was so excited. You ever see the opening to Home Alone where they are

scrambling to pack for Europe? That was it, as the Huttons and I frantically decorated as soon as Katie left the house.

[Katie]

I left the house to run errands, it felt like any typical Saturday. Charlie had the idea to go to brunch that morning. When I came back, only Charlie’s car was in the driveway…I entered the house and grabbed one of those Trader Joe’s meringue cookies. With a mouth half full, I saw the pathway of flower petals and gasped. Confused, I turned the corner into the living room and saw him kneeling below letters spelling “will you marry me?” I blurted out “Yes!” and then “oh wait, you go,” bashfully realizing he had yet to officially ask.

[Charlie]

I had no intention of going to brunch, but it was definitely the perfect cover story. I was pretty sure she’d say yes, but still nervous about a life changing moment such as this. I felt happy. She always makes me happy. If you know me, you know not much gets a reaction out of me - but Katie always does. She said yes! Twice! (And yes, don’t worry…we went to brunch.)