After enduring months of frustration and failed connections on dating apps, Kristin found herself on the brink of giving up. But her relentless determination led her to give this dating app another try. As she swiped through profiles, her eyes were suddenly drawn to a charming figure: a tall man with glasses, a well-groomed beard, and a warm smile. It was an instant spark in the midst of her 25th birthday celebrations in Joshua Tree. Amidst the laughter of her friends filling the Airbnb, Kristin seized the moment and reached out to him, determined not to let this opportunity slip away. The wait for his response felt like an eternity, each passing moment tinged with anticipation. Finally, a message arrived, explaining the delay – he had been hiking with a friend and didn’t have service. After messaging back and forth for a few hours, Zach didn't waste time. He asked Kristin to meet up for coffee the next day. Kristin was very impressed with his intentionality and immediately jumped with excitement with all her friends surrounding her. She could not drive home any faster and counted the hours until they met. When the day finally arrived, Kristin's nerves were overshadowed by her eagerness to finally meet Zach in person. As they greeted each other with a friendly side hug at Surf Cafea (terrible coffee shop name, I have to say), Kristin felt an instant connection. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, spanning two hours over steaming cups of coffee and giddy laughter. As Zach suggested extending their time together with lunch, Kristin’s heart continued to soar with optimism. Walking down the street to Taco Surf, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something truly beautiful. Little did she know, this casual lunch date would mark the beginning of a journey that would see them inseparable for the next five years and beyond.

Zach's journey to meeting Kristin began with a leap of faith into the realm of online dating. With minimal experience, he ventured onto Hinge and stumbled upon Kristin's profile a mere three days after joining the app. Intrigued by her list of interests, Zach (an inexperienced dater) mustered a casual "ditto haha" in response to which Kristin replied with "Nice." In a twist of fate, Kristin, after hearing no response from Zach and realizing she may have been too hasty, decided to randomly ask Zach “How’s your year?”. Zach, returning from an exhausting hike with a friend, finally got service on his phone and responded to Kristin, and from that moment, sparks flew. After a few hours of texting back and forth, Zach wasted no time in suggesting a coffee meetup. Their first meeting over coffee stretched into hours of engaging conversation, leaving Zach enamored by Kristin's quirky charm, genuine demeanor, and zest for adventure. As they parted ways, Zach couldn't shake the feeling that he had stumbled upon something special. With a newfound sense of confidence, he took the plunge and invited Kristin to lunch, solidifying his growing affection for her. From that day on, endless adventures and crazy date ideas became the norm and hasn’t stopped since.