It's been more than two years since they sat across from each other in a loud, smoky Fan restaurant and went through the heart-pounding, curious, first moments of a romantic blind date. It was Christmas night, of all nights. John nervously asked Nikole if he could kiss her when she dropped him off. She agreed.

One date was followed by a second, a third. He met her co-workers. She met his family. He went to her brother's wedding, her father's. He bought a house. Next thing you know -- according to John's internal clock; exactly 16 months behind schedule, according to Nikole's -- they were roommates. Somehow she snuck two cats into the house with her clothes.

They spent a week driving to and meandering about Toronto. A weekend at Camp JEEP. Visits to her family's place at Deltaville. Far too few days with John's dying stepmother, then her funeral. Long weekends in the mountains. He began to play with the cats. Which is probably when she knew.

In November, he proposed.

That's the abbreviated version. We've been very happy with how things have turned out, and we're looking forward to sharing our weekend with all of you.