Nothing says Happy New Year like texting someone over a dating app! Yes, we met on the dating app Hinge over the holidays and met up for our first date January 11, 2020. We had planned to get tex-mex, but ended up getting sushi at Blue Fish. It was like I was catching up with an old friend and just wanted to hear everything he had to say. After a great meal and conversation, I told Rick I was meeting up with friends in downtown Dallas, so when he was down to join me I knew things were going well! Nothing like meeting your friends on the first date. After my birthday, COVID became a thing and we decided to go stay with our parents; who come to find out lived super close to each other. During those house bound days and all our walks, we knew we were meant to be. I never understood the phrase "when you know you know" until then! For us, COVID was a blessing because we were able to spend more time together and get to know one another. When you take out all the distractions around you, you can really focus on what's important and that's just what we did!

It was like a scene from the Bachelor! We had been talking about a trip to Mexico since I've never been. Little to my surprise Rick had been planning this special weekend for months. At the end of summer before I started my new teaching job, Rick took us to Playa Del Carmen. When we arrived in Cancun, Rick planned for a spacious private car with drinks to take us to our hotel (a new experience for me). Our beach front hotel also had a sister property in town with a roof top pool, restaurant, and bar. We decided to check out the roof top pool during the day and enjoy the view. Rick mentioned that we had dinner reservations back up on the roof later that night which would be beautiful with the sunset. That night we got ready and when we arrived back at the sister hotel property to check in for our reservation, the host said "your 'private dinner' is ready upstairs if you go down the hall and up the elevator." The hall was lined with candles and when we exited the elevator our server was waiting for us. We had the whole roof to ourselves. The patio, under hanging lights, was cleared except for one table with roses. It was a "private" dinner for just the two of us and it was perfect. I felt so spoiled, special, and impressed by how Rick kept this a secret. We enjoyed beverages, we just talked for a minute taking in the view, and then Rick started saying such special words to me ending with "Will you marry me?" while down on one knee. I couldn't stop smiling, and of course I said YES!! We then had such an amazing dinner that Rick had to picked out ahead of time to which I jokingly said, "Well I hope you know what I like." The whole evening and weekend was so magical. I am so fortunate to have Rick take the time to plan out such a perfect weekend for us that we will always cherish!