It all started in 2018, or maybe it was 2019, neither of us are good with dates. That's why we chose June 14th as our wedding date, easy to remember since it is also Flag Day. Anyway, Michael was home on leave from the Army and I was enjoying my first few years out of college. One Friday night, Alice Mathews-Moran invited both of us to join her for a night out in the Old Port. We met at Amigos, one of the classiest dive bars in Portland, and that’s where it all began.

A friendship quickly developed and whenever he came home on leave, we would hang out with friends and go out to the bars. I eventually won him over when I serenaded him by singing Pony by Ginuwine and giving him the finger guns. (Michael still has the video, if you want to see my amazing performance lol!)

Just before Michael was about to be deployed to the U.S/Mexico border, we went on our first unofficial first date. We walked along the river front in Westbrook during the town's summer festival. We talked for hours, shared some fried dough, and had our first kiss. When Michael left for the border, we continued talking everyday. I would stay up late just to FaceTime with him when he would get off shift. There were lots of late nights, but that's what led to us saying "I love you" for the first time.

In February of 2020, Michael left the Army and moved back home to Maine. He bought a house in Standish and later asked me to move in with him. Little did he know, I would bring my friend (maid of honor) and her 2 cats and a dog! It was a full house, but we enjoyed many game nights and fun filled days together.

A year later, it was just the two of us living in Standish. That’s when our relationship grew even deeper. We would spend days enjoying our many shared interests and end our nights with dance parties in the kitchen. It wasn't long after that we began to talk about our future. As we spent days in Harrison building on our property we also started building our lives together. We talked about marriage, kids, and of course what kind of fur babies we would have.

On June 3rd, 2024 Michael took me back to the river walk in Westbrook, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. Easiest "yes" of my entire life! A few months later we welcomed our first son, Francis, a lovable orange kitty into our family. We can’t wait to see what else our future has in store for us and so beyond excited to share this day with those who’ve been a part of our love story!

Love,

Molly & Mike