Once upon a time, in the magical year of 2022... Courtney and I found ourselves crossing paths through mutual friends. Over the next six months, we kept bumping into each other, like characters in a romantic comedy. Each encounter was filled with easy conversation and a natural connection. It didn't take long for me to realize that Courtney was a woman of incredible value, a fantastic mother, and someone I could see myself dating. But, as life often goes, the timing just wasn't right. Chapter 1: The Concert Connection One fateful day, we had another "chance run-in" at a concert at Barrelhouse. We had drinks, talked, laughed, and danced the night away. At the end of the night, Courtney took a leap of faith and asked if I felt the connection between us. Of course, I did! We exchanged numbers and began to get to know each other better. Chapter 2: The Deep Dive As we spoke about our past marriages, love of sports, parenting styles, future goals, love for dogs, and loyalty to friends, our friendship grew deeper, and so did our attraction. Then, on one fateful day in October 2023, I finally found the guts to ask her out. We drank beers, watched football, and laughed for hours. Neither of us wanted the time to end, so we decided to have dinner too. I knew this was something special. Chapter 3: The First Date Courtney was the first woman who made me feel alive and hopeful. She was seemingly the girl of my dreams. Once the cork was out of the bottle, I had to see her again. A week later, we had our official "first date." We enjoyed a wonderful night of delicious food, great conversations, and a lot of laughs. As the night came to an end, we shared our first kiss. It was everything I had ever dreamed a kiss should be. This wasn't just a random date with a random girl; this was different, this was special, this had the makings of forever. Chapter 4: The Family Bond Our dating journey started slow, with both of us being cautious, especially since our children's hearts were part of the equation. But as time passed and our trust grew, it became clear that the love we were growing was solid and healthy. When the time was right, we introduced our girls to each other. They connected immediately, forming a sisterhood in the making. Chapter 5: The New Beginning Day trips to Santa Barbara, Bluey performances, movie nights at home, and many family dinners later, Courtney and I knew it was time to join our families. We now have a household of three girls, three dogs, and months and months of laughter and love. We are so pleased to be tying the knot, giving our children more siblings (and doggies), and most importantly, entering into a marriage that we both dreamed of having. I can't wait to marry the girl of my dreams and be an example of love and loyalty to our children.