It was 2011 and I was a manager at a mortgage company and Megan was a manager in training at the same place. My boss brought her over to my desk. He let me know that she was going to spend some time with me going over the job as this was the department she was visiting that week. I don’t remember all of the specifics that we discussed but she would tell me years later that she did recall a few things that she never forgot. I’ll just go with the thought that I had made an impression on her. Over the years, we’d seen each other here and there at the office. I’d come by her desk for some work related questions. As we humans are want to do, not all of our visits would end up being work related. She’d displayed little knick-knacks and pictures of her friends & family; specifically, a little figure of Matt Smith as Doctor Who, and a few photos of herself with her cousin Briana. In 2017, my life would be forever changed. It started with a phone call. I had a work related question to which I needed an answer. I knew just whom could help. I picked up the phone and called Megan. What started out as a simple question one day became a long conversation about work, life, struggle & happiness. These conversations became a regular part of my day. Those around me would notice the excitement in my voice when Megan and I would talk. It even got to the point where those around me, specifically my boss, would say things like “It’s cute” or “I can tell you like her”. One of these conversations would lead to her asking me if she could send me cookies or Fruity Pebbles treats. Of course I said, “Absolutely!” As 2018 came to a close, the opportunity to move back to Texas had become a reality. That same week I had not only figured out the day of my arrival but I asked Megan out on our first official date. We started dating on 11/14/18. As we grew closer throughout 2019, our relationship grew by leaps and bounds. We met each other’s groups of friends & families, and our love for each other became stronger every day. I made the big decision to move in with Megan in January of 2020. I had trepidations about cohabitating with my significant other because I had not done that since 2015. In March of 2020, the world changed. I never would’ve expected in a million years that I would have to quarantine, let alone quarantine with my girlfriend whom I had just moved in with 2 months prior. As many people said, “talk about a crash course in relationships.” The events of 2020 impacted me more than I thought they would. It was scary and stressful to live in a world that had been exposed to a deadly virus. While I was nervous about moving in with Megan, being together helped solidify our partnership. We laughed A LOT and we cried a little. In my opinion, the most important thing also happened, we COMMUNICATED. You always hear people utter the cliché, “Communication is key to a good relationship.” People say that for a reason...it is the absolute truth. My recovery and higher power bestowed upon me the tools I needed to be sober. Our relationship, companionship and communication bestowed upon me the tools I needed be a better man. To this day, if there’s any kind of an issue, Megan and I talk it out. In the past, I wasn’t the greatest at communication. Now, not to be greedy or modest, I can have a conversation, difficult or easy, about finances, goals, mistakes made, and opportunities to grow/improve all the way through to the end without bitterness or anger. Megan taught me how to do that. As 2020 slowly came to a close, and as this story comes to a close, Megan and I came to the decision to buy our first house together. After the numerous uphill battles we faced when shopping for a house, we finally found our first home and on January 16th, 2021, we moved in. That was the day that I asked Megan to be my wife.