Monica and Tim met on a sunny day at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, in February 2021. Tim walked up in his teal blue suede jacket and soccer cleats, sweaty from a day out on the community soccer field with their mutual friend, Corey. Immediately upon arriving, he startled the group by stepping on Monica’s dog Polly’s toe. She let out a shrill yelp, alerting the group — along with everyone else within a 500-foot radius — of his presence. Blushing, he apologized to Monica, and she laughed it off and welcomed him to sit down next to her, undoubtedly making a comment about his choice of jacket/Nike workout short combo.

Later that day, the group played Monopoly, and Monica and Tim were paired together. Monica insisted they figure out a way to cheat to increase their odds of standing a chance (every other team was sneaking bills from the bank throughout the game!). Tim refused. He wouldn’t allow his conscience to be compromised by this nefarious newcomer. Monica admired his integrity, but they were quickly eliminated from the game and forced to enjoy each other's company for the rest of the evening. Unbeknownst to Monica at the time, Tim’s admirable character would become one of her favorite things about him.

Over the course of their relationship, Monica and Tim have traveled the world and deepened their love for each other along the way. They’ve traversed the hills of Tuscany by train, enjoyed delicious local cuisine along the coast of Cartagena, navigated a 30-year old RV through a herd of Yellowstone bison, and built a beautiful home and life together back in Oakland.