Michael’s sister-in-law, Lesley, had been trying to set Michael and Melissa up with each other for some time. Lesley had worked with Melissa for years and had a feeling that between their shared love of puzzles and Winnie the Pooh, Michael and Melissa were perfect fits for each other. But while Michael and Melissa worked at the same company, they were in different departments in different buildings.

Fortunately, a cross-department project put them in the same building to finally meet in December of 2022. It would take another year and Michael changing departments and buildings within the company, but he eventually worked up the courage to ask Melissa out on December 18, 2023. She obviously said yes! Their first date was worth the wait; they had dinner at Murry’s, chatting until the restaurant was closing up for the night. Their second date also went until restaurant closing and they knew they had something special.

One date led to another, and before too long they were spending most of their weekends and free time together. As they continued to date, Melissa and Michael bonded over silly tv shows like Psych, stand-up comedy specials, video games, board games, and put together countless jigsaw puzzles while sipping out of their Winnie the Pooh coffee mugs. It was quickly apparent to both that they had each found their missing puzzle piece. After about a year of dating, Michael proposed to Melissa on December 7, 2024, under the lights of the Magic Tree in Columbia, MO. She obviously said yes!