Our Story – Kate's Version Hi everyone! I'm Kate, and here's my version of how this beautiful, unexpected love story began. Moving to the U.S. was always my dream. Ever since I visited my aunt in New Jersey back in 2013, I completely fell in love with America — especially New York City. I knew one day I wanted to live and study there. So, in 2020, I packed my life into suitcases and moved across the ocean. Of course, doing it during COVID wasn't exactly ideal... but NYC had been calling me for years, and I couldn’t resist. What I didn't expect was how lonely it could get. I never imagined I’d date anyone who wasn’t Czech — honestly, I’d never even considered it. My plan was simple: study hard, improve my English, and once I was ready, go back to the Czech Republic. America was a beautiful chapter, but I thought it would have an ending. By 2023, I really felt that ending approaching. I was tired, emotionally drained, and ready to come home. But then something changed — something small at first. My amazing friend Míša and her (now) husband Lukáš invited me to join them on a trip to California. I needed a break, so I went. During the trip, they told me, "Don't give up on the U.S. just yet. Maybe try dating someone here — life’s a bit easier when you have someone by your side." I still remember Míša saying, “Maybe you’ll meet someone from California — you love it here so much!” What none of us knew at the time... was that God already had a plan. A very specific one. Later that same month, I visited my family in North Carolina and told them about my new plan to maybe try dating in the U.S. My uncle smiled and said, “Find someone here in North Carolina. Men here value family — they’re looking for the same things you are.” And he was right. I was ready. I wanted a partner, a husband, a home, a dog — the whole American dream. What I didn’t know was that God had already picked someone perfect for me: a guy from California... who just so happened to live in North Carolina. And that’s how our story began. A little faith, a few road trips, some well-timed advice from friends and family — and one California soul who walked into my life just when I needed him most. We can't wait to celebrate this next chapter with you. Thank you for being part of our journey. ❤️

Everyone who truly knows me knows I had given up. I gave up on love. I gave up on having a family. I found myself accepting that I was probably just going to be alone for a long time. I noticed my circle of friends getting younger, because the ones my age were at home with their families. Aside from one or two of those younger friends who I grew close to, I began to feel like I didn’t fit in anymore. I decided to give dating one last try and downloaded that app—you know, the one we say quietly when people ask how we met. I’d been through it all before. A revolving carousel of lonely souls. After a while, you start to see the same faces, and you learn to recognize who’s also sad like you. Then I met Kate. I was absolutely convinced I was being catfished. A woman like that does not need an app to talk to men. She is beautiful, caring, and as dedicated as any woman I could ever dream up. I spent a week wondering when she was going to ask me for money for some emergency scam—but it never happened. In fact, after a few weeks, we FaceTimed, and I realized she was, indeed, real. I was disappointed to learn she didn’t live in Raleigh and assumed we’d only talk for a few days. I was wrong. We kept talking—day after day, for longer and longer each time. Before I knew it, I was falling for someone I had never even met in person. I met Kate for the first time on Thanksgiving Day, 2023. I was terrified when she pulled into the driveway. When she got out of the car, she was all city—dressed in designer clothes and fully put together—and there I was… well, me. We talked for a while, and it was a bit awkward. I thought for sure this was going to be one of those situations where the reality doesn't meet the expectations in your mind. But we kept talking. We went out two more days in a row that weekend. On the second day, she kissed me. I, who don’t have a shy bone in my body, didn’t know what to do. So I kind of smiled and said, “Well, okay, bye!” I thought I’d regret that forever. But the next day, I got another kiss—and this time, I didn’t waste it. After all, she was going home early the next morning. Fast forward to when I moved in with her. A month before, I had been laid off and was sure there was no way I could move up there. Honestly, I had no money. But she said, “It’s okay, I got you.” I’d never experienced that before—and I felt my armor begin to crack. Fast forward to today. She really has had my back, just as I’ve had hers. I can’t think of anyone I adore and trust as much as her. Kate, I love you more than anything in the world. I admire how you push me to be better, how deeply you care for me. I admire your tenacity, and how you always find a way. I admire your bravery—moving across the world to start a new life. Thank you for loving me. I’ll spend the rest of my life repaying you for making me believe in love again.