Rob's Point of View:

While on vacation during the summer before starting high school Megan reached out to me via a social networking service. We started talking and knew we were going to be attending the same school so we decided we would meet in person the first day! We enjoyed each others presence and we quickly grew to be friends! We would sit next to each other at lunch and hang out in the mornings before classes began. When I found out Megan had a crush on me I decided I would love to follow that path and try to be her Prince Charming! We went on a date to a football game against Elmhurst High School, where our team won of course, and the following Monday I asked her to be my girlfriend! She happily accepted and we've been together ever since! There were some rocky times in the past as I grew to understand the world and relationships better but after we hit the 1-year mark I knew the shoe fit and I wanted to dedicate my life to ensuring Megan was satisfied and happy!!

When I graduated from high school I had my graduation party the following day! I received some gifts there and proceeded to pick out an engagement ring the following day. Later that day, I took Megan to our Alma Mater, walked her up the front steps, knelt down and proposed to her with: "Honey, we've been together for exactly 3 years 8 months and 20 days. With you by my side we've pushed through many struggles in our lives and I'd like to keep the momentum going forward in my life. I'm now putting the ball in your court and asking you to be my Princess Charming. (Kneeling down and presenting Megan with the ring) Will you marry me?" She was shocked but she replied "Yes, of course!" My life is unique, I'm the only one that has the opportunity to live it, and I do things my way. That said, we then proceeded to go tell our parents about the engagement who were previously clueless about the plan! They figured that day would come then proceeded to suggest we should wait until I finish college to get married.

I graduated college on December 14th, 2017 and I knew I wanted to get married the following year as it would mark a decade committed to each other! I asked Megan about getting married and while she was a bit hesitant at first we decided it would be best to have our wedding on our 10-year anniversary! It might sound like a fairytale, to get together during my freshman year and stick together 10 years before getting married, engaged for over 6 years! It would definitely make a good fairytale but it is our reality!!

- Rob Dukarski

Megan's Point of View:

It was the summer of 2008 when I was on a social media site where I happened to run across Rob. I didn't personally know of him but my twin sister did because of a mutual friend. So I decided to add him on this social media platform and started to chat with him. At the time he was on vacation up in Michigan. We started chatting about where he would be attending high school and it ended up being at South Side. I wasn't sure we would ever cross paths but it was a possibility. The days went on and it ended up being we were getting closer to the first day of school being back in session. On the first day of school my twin sister, the mutual friend and I were walking throughout the building as we did before classes began. We ended up running into Rob and his twin brother. They both looked like 2 lost puppies running around in such a big school. We properly introduced ourselves and the 3 of us tried to help them find there classes but Rob and John were too stubborn to want the help. So my twin sister, our mutual friend and I went on our way.

It came time for my lunch and I happened to notice Rob walking by and I got his attention to come sit with me at the lunch table since I figured he had no friends at our lunch period. He ended up sitting with me and we had some time to get to know each other more. After lunch was over we went our separate ways to finish our school day. It ended up being that Rob sat with me the whole year at lunch. We ended up exchanging phone numbers and we could call each other just to catch up on how our days were going and what we had plans for the weekend, etc. Once Rob and I got to know each other more we would pick a certain spot to meet in the morning where we would meet up and walk before classes.

On September 26, 2008 we went to a football game against Elmhurst high school and we enjoyed each other's company or you could say that this was our official first date. By the end of the game I had a good feeling about Rob! He seemed sweet, caring and a bit ornery. And to top off the night South Side won the football game! That night Rob stated I should be prepared for Monday morning. I looked at him funny like what do you mean. On Monday morning at 7:55 AM Rob officially asked me to be his girlfriend before heading to class.

I was ecstatic, mind you that he was only my second boyfriend. Rob and I would find time in passing classes to see each other for hugs and note passings! Yes we were that weird couple to pass notes in between classes! We had our ups and downs but we have overcome so much! I knew there was something so special about Rob but yet I didn't know what. It was that he had the sweetest heart and was willing to help everyone out even if he didn't want to.

Fast forward to the summer of 2012 after Rob graduated high school this boy took me back to the steps of South Side to propose to me. Was I shocked? YES! My heart was racing and the only thing that came to mind was did you talk to my dad? I told him yes, but under a few conditions. He had to go to college and get his degree and once he did that, find a good job to support himself. He also told me he never talked to my dad about proposing either which made matters even scarier. We went back to his house to tell his parents, and his dad said Rob would have to go talk with my mom and dad and let them know his intentions. So that night we went to my house and Rob was typing up what he was going to say to my parents as he had not previously prepared for the conversation. He had the courage to tell them and we explained there wouldn't be a wedding until my conditions were true.

In the winter of 2017 Rob graduated college and was working for a company he really enjoyed working for. We had been talking about when we would get married. It ended up coming to mind that we would marry on our 10 anniversary of being in a relationship with one another. We began purchasing items for the wedding and everything else has been history. So on September 29, 2018 we will get married on our 10th anniversary and it will be a very special day for us and our families coming together!

- Megan Shuler