It all started at Canyon Lake, surrounded by friends and sunshine. We met on his boat when I was with my group of girls, but somehow, we found our way to each other. Less than a week after meeting, he got my number from a mutual friend, Naomi, and asked me out for another day on the boat, but this time it was different, it was just the two of us, He had a laugh that carried on the breeze and eyes that could've convinced me to do just about anything and maybe they did. There was no pretense between us from the beginning. Maybe that's what made it real. I showed him a little more of me than most would on a first meeting, body and soul, and he met it with honesty, curiosity, and just enough mischief to make me fall harder than I planned. We didn't tiptoe around the attraction. We dove in headfirst, messy and real. And then I gave him COVID. Yep. The kind of gift you don't plan for. He coughed, I apologized profusely, and somehow... he stayed. Quarantined together, we learned what most people take years to find out: how to live in close quarters, how to take care of each other when things aren't sexy or fun, and how to laugh in between the chills and NyQuil. Finally the ultimate and most important challenge came for him - meeting my kids. Introducing him to them was like handing over my heart, two pieces at a time. I watched nervously wondering if this man who saw me would be ready to see them too. But the moment he met them, I saw it in his eyes he didn’t hesitate. He didn’t try too hard. He just loved them. Instantly, and without condition. Like they were always meant to be part of his world too. I was also nervous about meeting his adult son, but it turns out that he is just as kind as his Dad. That was a bit over five years ago Since then, we’ve been building a life together- the four of us. Full of loud mornings, messy dinners, inside jokes, school sports, willingness to ride out any storm or (virus), and hugs that hold all of it together. It’s not always romantic in the traditional sense, but it’s always been real. And to me, that’s the truest kind of love.