Michelle and Andrew met at orchestra camp in the summer of 1999 going into their senior years of high school.

Like most stories, there are two versions:

Michelle says: ”Everyone at camp was going roller skating. Since I didn’t know how to skate, Andy offered to teach me so that he could talk to me.”

Andrew says: “Everyone at camp was going roller skating. Michelle pretended to fall all over the place to flirt with me.”

I think we all know who is telling the truth.

After college we dated again several times, but then lost touch for about a decade. But like all modern day romances, our correspondence restarted with Facebook Instant Messenger in 2016.

We caught up for many hours one day like no time had passed. Little by little, over many many months (and a few drinks) we became best friends again.

A few short years later we started dating just in time for Covid. To celebrate, we got vax’ed close by where we met in summer camp (because we couldn’t get an appointment anywhere close to NYC).

Nothing says love like fighting a worldwide plague together.

Not many couples can say they got a second shot at their first dates.

We spent our Covid Winter in 20-30 degrees eating under heat lamps outdoors (with masks on) in NYC. We spent our Covid Summer touring East Coast beaches, spending time with Hudson, Jackson and our dog Lucy, and hunting for the best lobster roll. (Maine wins, hands down).

It wasn’t exactly a secret. We had planned on getting married and had picked the ring together. But, Michelle still wanted it to be a surprise.

So Andrew picked a fancy spot and made the arrangements. There was just one problem: Michelle kept cancelling plans.

It finally got to be the end of summer on Michelle’s 40th birthday. It was now or never. She was getting antsy. The last gift Michelle opened was a card that said, “I just have one question for you….”

After tears, laughter, and clapping all around Michelle asked, “so did you plan for this to be on my birthday?” Andrew said, “I’ve been trying to propose to you for weeks, woman! You kept cancelling. The ring has been in your nightstand, right next to you the whole time.”

Oops.

We love adventures: learning new things, going to far away places, and eating interesting food.

But the best adventures we have are the every day moments, laughs, debates (or, bickering like the old muppets in the balcony) that we share.