The Countdown to Forever

I met Michael on the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel after a long break from dating. I wasn’t looking for anything serious—just some fun—so I lined up dates every night of the week. Michael, on the other hand, had taken a few years off from dating to focus on himself and was looking for something serious. Our date was set for Friday, but a last-minute change brought us together on Tuesday instead — a simple shift that led to something neither of us could have anticipated. Our first date was at Yardhouse, and from the moment we met, there was an instant connection. We clicked in a way I hadn’t expected and I didn’t want the night to end. So, we kept the fun going with games at Dave & Buster’s. I had butterflies the whole night, and when he kissed me by my car, there were definitely fireworks. I canceled all my other dates for the rest of the week—Michael was the only one I wanted to see. From there, we went on several dates back-to-back. On our second date, I absolutely demolished him in mini golf — his ego never stood a chance. So for our third date, he “just so happened” to suggest bowling where I got destroyed. Turns out, he’d been in a bowling league for years. Touché. Everything was going almost too well for six months. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I hadn’t dated enough to be sure, so I asked for a break to explore other options—but no one compared. One day, out of the blue, I called Michael and asked if he wanted to meet up after work, and he agreed. I’ll never forget that first hug after weeks of no communication—he felt like home. From that moment on, I understood what he had known all along; this was something special. I knew it was time to introduce him to my family—if I couldn’t find any flaws, they’d definitely find them for me. To my surprise, everyone loved him! He was too charismatic. I then met his family, and they were all so sweet and welcoming from day one. Shortly after, the pandemic hit, and we found ourselves in isolation. We worked hard on weekdays and spent weekends biking around Long Beach, enjoying the empty streets. While the outside world seemed to be on pause, we were hopeless romantics. In 2021, we decided to live in Hawaii for a month and work remotely—because why not? It turned out to be the best month of my life. Every morning, Michael would make coffee in our tiny studio Airbnb, and we’d both be done with work by 3 p.m. and in the water. It was paradise. Then, in August, everything changed. I had just received good news purchasing my first home when I got dreadful news that Michael had suffered from a cardiac arrest. My world crumbled as I rushed to the ER. Over the next two days while he was in an induced coma, I realized just how much I loved him and couldn’t imagine my life without him. When he woke up, he couldn’t remember me but said the sweetest things about a physician associate he had met named Assal—“you would really like her”. We moved in together shortly after—I couldn’t bear to be away from him for another day—and the rest is history. In 2023, he FINALLY proposed. He was so eager that I saw it coming weeks ahead. He made multiple attempts to propose before our trip to Japan, but I was too busy planning and turned down every dinner reservation. Once in Japan, I started dropping hints that the timing was perfect—if he had something planned. Throughout our time together, we’ve grown so much. I’ve helped upgrade his wardrobe and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. He’s made me smile every single day with his jokes, laughter, unconditional love, and affection—and his latte art, a tradition that started in Hawaii. We bring out the best in each other. He calms my energy and makes the mundane, everyday routines exciting, and I make his life worth living (figuratively). We’ve been through so much together, and this is just the beginning. We can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter of our story with all of you!