On a late fall evening in 2012, Samantha – the ever diligent student – was at the university library writing an assignment when she noticed an unattended document on the printer. After flipping through the paper, and presumably being highly impressed with the quality of the analysis, Samantha realised she was holding a chapter of Rod’s thesis. Samantha kindly reached out to Rod on Facebook to let him know she had the document and would hand it over to him. Admittedly, the details are hazy at this point, but it is generally understood that Samantha became smitten with the charm and whit exhibited in subsequent conversations. This demonstration of good will by Samantha, is what Rod refers to as ‘falling for the old printer trick’. While Samantha and Rod knew of each other, having both played on the varsity soccer teams at that time, this was their first meaningful interaction which quickly evolved to a budding relationship. Subsequent library dates grew to dinners after weekend soccer road trips, and binge watching the Walking Dead.

A few months later, Samantha was in Ottawa for FISU soccer try-outs when another seemingly random act occurred. Upon checking herself into the hotel, she found out her roommate was Rod’s sister Meaghan. After a weekend packed with the intense pressures and scrutiny of a formal (and informal) tryout Sam returned to Fredericton, where she recalls being greeted by Rod’s elated request to be his girlfriend. Rod’s recollection differs slightly, and instead details that he said something along the lines of “I missed your cooking while you were away”.

In the years that followed, Samantha and Rod navigated the strains of a long distance relationship in which they spent the school years apart, and summers together. It was during these long summers spent at the cottage that Samantha was fully integrated into Rod’s family, largely facilitated by her affinity for baking and mixing summer cocktails! Through countless days by the lake and late night dinners at the log house Samantha proved herself to be an indispensable, and deeply loved, member of the family.

Over the course of numerous holidays visiting Samantha’s family in Shediac, Rod endeavoured to prove himself a worthy partner for Samantha, and gain admittance into the illusive Lagacy circle of trust. This deep desire drove Rod to be the reigning Lagacy Christmas ping pong tournament champion and to overcome his entirely rational fear of sharks, by joining the family on long summer boating days. In the absence of a formal admittance to the circle of trust, Rod takes solace knowing that he hasn’t been banned.

Now, I know what you are thinking – it’s been ten years, what took so long? Well, no one has ever accused Rod of making hasty decisions, but after months of deep reflection (aka intense peer pressure from his younger cousins), Rod proposed to Samantha, concluding a decade of courtship! Fortunately Samantha said yes, likely because a breakup would have been too hard on Mia. Either way, what began as a series of fortuitous events grew into a loving relationship.