Rachel and Pete met the "old fashioned" way. And by old fashioned way, we mean at a bar. It was an evening like many others before it, in late August 2013, as Pete and Rachel both found themselves at Mister Days Sports Bar (RIP).

Rachel happened to be out with just one other friend, and was deemed the designated driver for the evening. Pete on the hand, was NOT the designated driver that night. He and his roommate were out and not exactly having an exciting time. His roommate was about ready to call it a night, but Pete wanted to hang around a little bit longer.

If we could go back in time, we would extend a big thank you to a gentleman whose actions that night proved to be the perfect conversation starter. As often happens at Mister Days, a late night dancing circle formed where patrons took turns dancing for onlookers. This particular gentleman took his moment to begin break-dancing all while keeping a tight hold of what appeared to be a large purse. Quite impressive. Overcome by the strangeness of this scene, Rachel got up her courage, looked at the guy next to her, figured there was nothing to lose, and decided to make a joke about this dancing before them.

The guy turned towards her, laughed at her joke, and responded. That guy, of course, was Pete! The two of them continued talking the rest of the evening, with Pete offering his only "move" by asking if she wanted a drink, and Rachel continuing to insist she wasn't drinking that night.

Their conversation lasted until the bar lights came on signaling it was time to leave. They said their goodbyes and "nice to meet yous", while beginning to walk separate directions down the street. All of a sudden, Pete realized he never asked for her phone number! He shouted back, "hey wait!" Naturally, she obliged and when he texted her that night to make sure she got home safely, well, that was the beginning of something special...

If you know us, you know that one of our biggest feats was spending two whole years apart during our relationship. As it so happens with life, Rachel and Pete met, hit it off, and then about a week into getting to know each other, Rachel receives word that she's been officially accepted into the U.S. Peace Corps in Cameroon. How exciting! But where does that leave this new relationship...?

The two of them easily decided that they would keep hanging out. After all, Rachel wasn't due to depart overseas for 9 more months. Why not keep the fun going by going on dates and having adventures? The two of them spent time with Pete pretending to like vegetarian food and Rachel pretending to like shooting guns. Ah, the things we do for the ones we love. Pete eventually asked Rachel to be his girlfriend in October 2013, but because of the impending logistics of leaving the country and the prospects of a long distance relationship, Rachel initially turned him down. But never fear! About two weeks later, the two were out to dinner and Rachel said, "Hey remember that question you asked me a few weeks ago...? Well, would you mind asking again?" And so the two became an official couple.

Anyone who has ever done a long distance relationship can attest to the challenges, but no one ever tells you exactly how hard it is nor exactly what you're going to feel. Needless to say, spending two years away from each other was NOT easy! The two celebrated life changes and victories from afar including Pete moving, getting a new job, and buying a car, while Rachel used survival skills to speak French with the locals, figure out her role in her village, and adopt her very first cat. Through the time differences, stress, heartache, and the "fear of missing out", the two triumphed through those years, culminating in Pete taking his very first trip abroad to Africa! What a ride.

After two years apart, it was time to get to know each other again and rebuild the love that kept them going.

Returning to an in-person relationship was not without its challenges. Who knew that communicating via text vs. face-to-face would be such an adjustment?! After returning from Cameroon in 2016, the two decided to invest in quality time together, new experiences, and romantic date nights. Being reunited saw them spending time visiting Austin, TX, Boston, MA, Rehoboth Beach, DE, and even Sweden. Our families have been ever supportive of our relationship, accepting each other into new holiday traditions and cheering us on as we took our time and made our love work for us. After a year in her own little apartment, Rachel and Pete decided to merge living quarters and move in together in December 2019. What initially came with angst about big changes ended up fitting and flowing very naturally, just like after they first met all those years ago...

And then, enter 2020. We all know the chaos that 2020 has brought to our lives, from the stress of lockdown, worrying about the future, and wondering how to keep friends, family, and each other safe, it's no wonder we've been able to scrape together such a joyous new life change. On July 11, 2020 at Bull Run Winery, Pete got down on one knee (debatable, if you ask Rachel ;)), and after seven years of dating asked Rachel to marry him. Secluded in their own private moment, beneath the setting sun and wispy clouds, Rachel said yes! The two exchanged meaningful words about what they meant to each other and how exciting this moment was before sharing the news and beginning the celebrations, albeit quarantine style.

We're very excited at the prospect of our marriage and getting to share this time in our lives with all the people that matter. Cheers to love!