Our relationship first started when we met on New Years Eve. Our best man Dan was a clutch wing man, helping Michael score Vals number. When we were going through old photos recently, we realized that Michael has this picture with Val in the background at the bar, the night they met, prior to them actually talking to each other. P.S. Bonus points if you can guess the bar we were at!

It was immediately clear that we were a good match as we quickly fell in love. Multiple times a week, both of us would commit to the 2+ hour commute on the TTC, back and forth between Toronto & Markham, but getting to see each other was always worth it. Shout out to the 102D bus, you will always have a special place in our hearts.

Fun times in 2019. We continued to hang out, party hard, and make new memories.

Our hair was a bit long after making it out of 2020 alive, surviving 4 months of social distancing from each other. Val ended up in Stouffville for her final school placement and wound up living with the McKey's for the semester. That summer, we both got jobs at Markham Stouffville Hospital, where we both discovered a deeper passion for working in health care.

By 2022, Val had completed her slow, unofficial move-in to the McKey house. We rebounded from COVID and grew even stronger as a couple. This is one of our favourite pictures of the year. For Halloween, Michael cheered on Val as she embraced her masculine side.

Michael finally asked the question! Both of us love the Zoo. As a frequent date spot, it was obviously the perfect spot to propose. Michael spent the day prior to the proposal scoping out the perfect spot, settling on a secluded park bench overlooking the Giraffes. However, when we arrived at "the perfect spot" the very next day, we found that the bench had been unbolted from the ground and taken away. Michael quickly pivoted to his plan B and everything went smoothly from there. At the time, Val had no idea why Michael wanted this photo of her on "an imaginary bench"

Michael proposed at the zoo over a "ring themed" picnic that included Funyuns, ring-pasta salad, and and PB-and-J bagels with ring pops for dessert. Michael got down on his knee with a card made with a printed screenshot of his first text message asking Val out, with a pull away tab that changed "will you go out with me?" to "will you marry me?". We finished the day pampering ourselves at Pete's Steak House.

We've been enjoying the engaged life! In late 2023, we were able to move out together into our own little coach-house apartment. We are looking forward to sharing our wedding day with all of you and seeing where married life takes us throughout the rest of 2024 and beyond.