Esther and I are a product of internet dating. As we both scoured the smourgusboard of dating apps looking for the right person, we were met with failure after failure. With war stories of ill-fated dates etched deep into our memories, I am inclined to say our meeting was serendipitous. I was at the end of my rope as I sat on the edge of my bed. With a few unsuccessful dates under my belt, I was ready to give up looking for love. I downloaded an app called Coffee Meets Bagel as a last-ditch effort to find a relationship with substance. But reading biographies and inspecting pictures was becoming quite a chore, so I thoughtlessly gave away all my free coffee beans. I also swore to never spend a dime on dating apps, because I would never be that desperate... but then I stumbled upon Esther's bright smile. Her undeniably beautiful and contagious smile. I ended up buying more beans – and it was the best five dollars I have ever spent. She accepted my beans and we messaged back and forth for a few days. The connection was clear and transparent. We then took the next step and spoke over the phone. Her voice was as angelic as were her pictures. I began to wonder if this was too good to be true. Finally, I mustered up the courage to ask her out on a date. Fast forward to the day of our first date — there I sat, waiting for her to arrive. After 30 ounces of water and an equal amount of minutes, she finally arrived. She said she was relieved I am more handsome in person because my pictures were disgusting. I was just relieved she was the same person from her pictures. After many dates and many days, we now stand before you as a proud couple. With a love as vibrant as the moon and warm as the sun. From the ashes of dating failures arose a phoenix. A bond; a love that still burns as brightly as it did the day we first met.

Friday, September 6 - Boaz initially hid the ring inside my purse, hoping that I would find it as we went to eat soup dumplings in Rockville, MD. I went into my purse several times that evening but never noticed it!  The actual proposal happened the next day, on Saturday, September 7. Boaz had not yet seen the monuments in DC so we decided to do that together. After a lot of walking, we finally made it to the front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Boaz plopped down on one knee and simply said, "You will marry me." And I said, "Yes!"