We're getting married!

They met while working at the zoo. First in 2014 when Delilah was Sami's summer camp counselor, then a few times professionally over the years. But it wasn't until the summer of 2018 that a spark was lit between the two. It all started with a gallon of ladybugs (that's 72,000 if you're wondering), eager 4-year-old campers, and a horticulturalist stepping out on a limb. Throughout the summer Delilah had caught Johnny's eye. He tried to express his interest in a number of different ways, social media likes, casual conversations at work and even asking her out a few times- but the message was not received. On one very memorable day, and possibly the day that solidified both of their interest in each other, Johnny called Delilah on the radio and asked if she wanted to spread ladybugs in the pollinator garden with her campers. She eagerly said yes and accompanied by 24 excited kindergarteners, met him in the garden. What followed was the best kind of chaos you can imagine - a beautiful, lush summer garden, happy, laughing children, and the sight of thousands of ladybugs flying around us. They were still laughing hours later as they discovered ladybugs that snuck into their shirt collars and clung to their short pockets. The experience broke the ice between the two and after talking to her best work friends Delilah realized that she had been missing his signals all along. The next week they went out for drinks together, the following month they went away to Block Island together, and one month after that, the two moved in together. The ladybug has always been an important symbol for the two, as a reminder of how their love started. They welcomed their own little ladybug, Isla, in February of 2021- and were sure to dress her up as one for her first Halloween.

Since moving to Rockaway, we have celebrated the first day of each new year on the beach - unknown to me, this was the initial plan for Johnny's proposal. When a rainy forecast challenged his plans, Johnny surprised me with an unexpected New Year's Eve dinner at our favorite local restaurant, Bar Marseille. As we sat down to dinner I could tell something was off. He was extremely focused on things being just right, concerned about how quickly my drink came out, or that the food was prepared exactly to our specifications (we are generally pretty chill when we go out so this was unusual). When our entrees came to the table, he said he wasn't hungry. What?! But I swear I was none the wiser. When the ring came out onto the table it all made sense. All of what I was observing was nerves. I emphatically said yes after his profession of love and here we are! We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you in Connecticut!