What started out as a typical day ended up being the greatest blessing in life that two people could ever imagine. A moment in time where divine intervention had planned to pull two worlds together – eyes locking, hearts stopping, a lapse in reality. “Love at first sight,” a phrase coined so perfectly was up for display. This miraculous witness happened at a restaurant called Mission BBQ. After a long day at work, Mark and his co-worker would usually pick a location to grab something to eat. His co-worker suggested Mission BBQ and presented the idea to Mark. Having not been there for a really long time, he agreed and they set off after work. With no idea that walking into a simple restaurant was going to change his life forever. Meanwhile, Amy was already inside and unaware that love was a simple glance away. Mark and his co-worker strolled in, completely unaware that she had already seen him the moment he walked through the door. He placed his order and waited patiently while his food was being prepared, still having no clue about what was going to happen. When his order was called, Mark and his co-worker looked around for a place to sit and picked a park-bench style seat near the middle of the restaurant. After placing his food down and finally settling in, he took a second to read and survey the room. It was at that moment where his gaze took him across the room, to a booth that was slightly diagonal from where he was sitting. This was the view that made him feel like every single breath he ever drew, every decision he ever made led him to this very moment. The most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes upon was a mere fifteen feet away. It wasn’t enough to be enamored by her presence, but realizing she was looking back at the same time was life-changing. Mark felt rather unassumed, putting pause to the idea it was anything other than a coincidence. As the night went on, it turned into a cat-and-mouse game of trying to catch each other taking their quick glances at one another. Eventually, Mark knew he had to muster up the courage to act. Knowing he had to do something was nothing short of nerve-racking. He attempted to write his number down on a napkin with a sharpie he took from his shirt pocket. There were many failed attempts as his hand was shaking excessively, he forgot his number, he couldn’t even remember his name! Eventually, the prized napkin which held the key to this life-changing plan was assembled correctly. He devised this plan in his mind for what felt like an eternity. A plan he had to stick to meticulously. A plan which did not execute anything like he imagined. The flawed execution led to a surprisingly positive outlook. When Amy, Danielle and her brother Kevin were getting up to leave, Mark knew it was now or never. Since they got up and left through the side entrance (which Mark had no idea existed) is what absolutely threw his plan out the window. Instead, he jumped out of the bench he was sitting in, nearly tripping backwards as he was trying to swing his feet from out underneath. He raced around the side where the counter was, bumping into people, clenching the napkin in his hand like his life depended on it. Finally, he made it to the door, but it was already open. In all her glory, bright-eyed, starlight reminiscent, Amy was holding the door open for him. It felt like his soul left his body, came back to him and everything he wanted to say and do was wiped from his mind. All he could do was stare, barely speak up, uttering the words with an almost prized stutter. “This is for you.” She graciously accepted it, but even though he triumphed in his plan, he still felt a slight notion of defeat. All his fear and doubt was soon taken away, as it wasn’t but a mere thirty minutes after he got home that the life-changing text from Amy came through to him. Mark & Amy EST. January 11th, 2024.