Julia & Sean

In the late summer of 2024, Sean was working as a contractor for Diamond Contracting on a job in St. Catharines — conveniently, across the street from Julia’s house.

Around the same time each day, Julia could be found sitting outside with a book in hand and her dog, Goose, by her side. Over time, Sean and Julia began to notice one another through a series of not-so-subtle glances back and forth. Both were interested. Both were shy. And neither quite knew how to make the first move.

Julia even wrote Sean a note… but couldn’t bring herself to give it to him as he packed up for the day. Sean, for his part, drove away at the speed of someone definitely hoping for one last look — barely touching the gas, head turned toward the house as his Santa Fe slowly rolled past.

Determined not to let the moment slip away, Julia did what any modern romantic would do: she found Diamond Contracting on Instagram, searched through their followers, and identified the only twenty-something year old who might possibly be the guy working across the street. Taking a leap of faith, she followed a complete stranger named Sean de Jonge.

Sean responded almost immediately with a message that said,
“How long did it take you to find me?”

The rest, as they say, is history. Sean and Julia have been together ever since — and while some might say Julia made the first move, Sean would argue that he was just waiting for her to do it.