how we met
We first met by chance in Portland, OR, when I made the decision to relocate to the Pacific Northwest for a career opportunity. I was looking for housing, and Margaret’s lease was up so she was also looking for somewhere to live. I was running 15 minutes late to a showing, so upon arrival, I ran into the next appointment, which happened to be with the lovely Margaret. We got to talking and realized we had a lot in common: career-oriented mindset, same heritage, bilingual (Polish and English), and a great appreciation for adventure and travel. Nonetheless, these commonalities drew us together as friends at first. However, the more time that Margaret spent with me and my adorable french bulldog Frankie (@itsfrankiethefrenchie), the more difficult it became to ignore the serendipity of how we met and her yearning to be a puppy parent. We both quickly realized fate was in our corner, and a wonderful romance blossomed.
how they asked
Recognizing that my french bulldog wasn’t going to keep Margaret interested indefinitely, I decided I needed to – as Margaret’s favorite artist Beyonce would say – “put a ring on it.” Skiing was my passion since I was a teenager, and knowing that Margaret is an adrenaline junkie, I decided that I would teach her how to ski and incorporate that activity into a marriage proposal. After getting a few ski trips under Margaret’s belt and custom designing an engagement ring, I was ready to “de-bachelorize” at our favorite skiing spot, Mount Bachelor in Bend, OR. Margaret should have suspected something was going on when I decided to book a room at a nice hotel instead of the usual frugal digs. The second big give-away was when “my friend from work” showed up at the summit (this was a professional photographer, Byron Roe Photography, that I had hired as part of my master plan).
Finally, I professed my undying love for Margaret and asked her to be my wife. Due to the low oxygen levels and high altitude, she said YES! After returning to sea-level she didn’t change her answer, and we got married on May 28, 2016 in Chicago, IL.
