Our love story began with a little help from fate and the curious intervention of our dear ones. Shaheen’s sister, Roya, encouraged him to put himself out there and embrace new opportunities, while Donia’s friend, Sogol, was determined to help her find some joy and distraction amidst the stress of pharmacy school applications. A few days later, Sogol came across Shaheen’s profile and spotted a reference from the show, Mr. Robot. Intrigued, she sent a message, and when Shaheen replied, it was Donia who picked up the conversation. From that first exchange, everything just clicked, and soon we were spending our nights talking, laughing, and sharing everything from favorite shows to our hopes for the future. Our first date, amidst bustling schedules and nervous anticipation, took them to Isarn for Thai cuisine on a Thursday night. Shaheen, setting off to a place he had barely heard of—“a foreign land called Lynnwood,” he joked—had his friend Max cover an hour of his on-call shift to make sure the date went smoothly. Over a cozy dinner, we found ourselves talking for hours, feeling like we’d known each other far longer. Life's twists and turns briefly separated us when the world paused in March of 2020. Despite the distance imposed by circumstances, our bond only deepened through nightly FaceTime calls that stretched into the early morning hours, supporting each other through long study sessions and navigating the uncertainties that came our way. Looking back, it’s incredible to think that one television quote started it all. Every step of the way since then has been filled with laughter, love, and all the little moments that make up our unique love story.

On the surface, November 18th seemed like a laid-back, low-key 4 year anniversary celebration. We strolled along the Edmonds waterfront, our favorite spot, grabbed lunch at a cozy restaurant, sipped on some coffee, and reminisced over old photos. Donia thought it was just another sweet day together—but little did she know, a covert operation was in full swing. With the ring burning a metaphorical hole in my pocket and my poker face barely holding together, I was juggling a whirlwind of nerves and excitement. Every step of the day was meticulously planned, with multiple moving parts working behind the scenes to ensure the surprise went off without a hitch. Finally, the time came for our “dinner reservation” at a secret location. As we arrived at Chateau St. Michelle, we walked on a winding path and I asked Donia to close her eyes. Guiding her to our private igloo—beautifully decorated thanks to the heroic efforts of our friends—I could feel my heart racing. Meanwhile, my friends were literally lying prone, army-style, in the bushes to capture every moment. When she opened her eyes, everything stood still. My heart did the talking, and I finally dropped to one knee and asked her to marry me. She said yes (thankfully), and the rest is history!