We met in our second-period English class, on our first day of high school in August 2000. After many study sessions and long chats over AIM, we started dating in December 2001, our sophomore year, and we've been in love ever since. We saw lots of movies together, went to dances and proms, took classes, worked in a robotics club, and got through APs and graduation.

After high school, we headed to UC Berkeley. Although our courses didn't overlap anymore, we had lots of new adventures. We found our favorite Berkeley restaurants, like Gypsy's, Cheeseboard, La Note, and La Rose, and we cheered on the Bears together in blue and gold.

After Cal, we left the west coast and headed to Massachusetts for graduate school. Lily started veterinary school at Tufts Unversity, and Matt started a PhD program at MIT. We supported each other through innumerable exams and cram sessions, the newfound treachery of New England winters, and living away from California for the first time.

In the summer of 2010, Matt whisked Lily away on a beautiful vacation to France. We admired art at the Louvre, climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower, strolled through beautiful gardens at Versailles, and ate delicious Parisian baguettes, croissants, and fruit nectars. On one of our breakfast picnics, Lily found that her favorite spot in Paris was the Jardin du Luxembourg, a park in the Latin Quarter with pretty animal statues and inquisitive pigeons.

Later on their trip, Matt suggested another visit to the Jardin for a sunset walk, though he had a bit more than a walk planned. During their stroll through the Jardin, Matt got down on one knee and popped the question! Lily said an enthusiastic yes and scrambled through her purse to find a camera to capture the moment when Matt revealed another surprise: their proposal had already been captured by Bruno, a Parisian photographer who was hiding nearby. We then embarked on a photo adventure through Paris, glowing with newly engaged excitement.

We wouldn't be where we are without the love and support of our two families. We are so thankful to them for helping us to become the people we are now and for their support of our lives together, from driving us to our high school movie dates to helping us plan our wedding.