Steph and Mike's love story is one for the ages. Quite literally, it has been 20 years since they met!

Their journey began in June of 2003, when they met while camping at Pine Acres Campground in Oakham, Massachusetts. Mike was 16 and Steph was 13 years old. Needless to say, John Ladroga wasn’t thrilled. In fact -story has it- he once joked that he would tie cement bricks to Mike’s shoes and toss him in the river if he hurt his teenage daughter. They dated on and off through middle school, high school, and college, but their schedules and differing priorities often got in the way.

In 2013, Mike made a life-altering decision. He packed up his life in Boston (and Maki) and moved across the country to be with Steph in Colorado. In 2015, they decided to move to California. They started in San Jose before making their way to Mountain View. They loved California's sunny skies and diverse culture.

In March of 2020, they decided to make another big move. They packed up their California life and moved to Seattle. They were drawn to the city's vibrant coffee scene and stunning scenery.

In summer 2021, they bought their first house in the beautiful Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle. They were thrilled to finally have a place of their own. Mittens and Khaji were also thrilled to have a house of their own to play and chirp at the birds from the windows.

About one year after moving into their home, Mike surprised Steph with an extra special version of their monthly "Date Night" tradition. During a hike at the beautiful Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie Falls, Mike proposed with a ring that he'd been secretly designing for MONTHS. Steph was very surprised and over the moon!

We have always known that Mike & Steph were made for each other, and the only thing left to say, is that....

IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!