We started talking in early fall of 2020, at the height of the pandemic-- but due to quarantines, deployments, and distance, we didn't meet in person until February 2021. Michael's ship moved to Yokosuka, Japan, where Stephanie had been stationed since 2019. Upon meeting, after several months of emails and texts, we started dating-- and Michael promptly left on another deployment. We continued writing letters and emails, and by the time he was "home" to Yokosuka in August 2021, there was no looking back. We found adventure at every turn and thoroughly enjoyed eating sushi, snowboarding/skiing throughout the Japanese alps, climbing Mt. Fuji, soaking in onsens, and exploring Tokyo and beyond. Stephanie got into grad school in San Diego, so Michael chose orders to be able to be stationed in the same city! We returned to the States in July/August 2022 and continued falling in love despite more distance for training and schedule differences. Dreaming of all the future could hold, Michael proposed on 19 February 2023 on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA. It was a no-brainer for Steph, who sees daily how compassionate, strong, kind, adventurous, patient, visionary, and loving Michael is through the good times and bad. Cheers to celebrating our love with so many friends and family in Fall of 2023!