Mary and Jill first met on the St. Anthony's softball field in the summer of 1995 when they both played for the Long Island Storm summer travel softball team and became fast friends. The team traveled most weekends to NJ and Staten Island so there were lots of long car rides and back to back days of softball. Mary loved that Jill provided constant comic relief on these long car rides and in between games while Jill looooved hanging out with someone who laughed at everything she said! Then it was back to rival high schools (St. Anthony's for Mary and Holy Trinity for Jill) in September. The friendship continued for a few decades but mostly just checking in and saying hi over instant messenger and later Facebook. They officially reconnected by phone in 2013 and haven't stopped talking and laughing together since.

Mary & Jill closed on their new home on a Friday in November. Jill had to go away that weekend but when she came back on Sunday she was very excited to finally get into their new house for the first time. Mary picked Jill up from the train station and then carried Jill over the threshold (on her back). While Jill was checking out the house she heard Mary calling her from the master bedroom. When she walked in she saw Mary on one knee with "Wherever is Your Heart I Call Home. Jill Cook, Will You Marry Me?" painted on the wall behind her. Jill was veeeeeery surprised and said SHUT UP! And then YES!!