We actually met through a dating site called "Green Singles," for people who feel a spiritual connection to the Earth who have an interest in environmentalism, sustainable food, off-grid living, and meditation. We each had doubts about making a deep connection via the internet, but cast a line on this one site anyway. I still remember how my breath caught in my throat the first time I saw his picture when alerted I had a message from "ErikB." By the time I read his profile essay (so similar to my own), and his desire to make the world better by helping animals, the environment or people in whatever ways he can- I was definitely reeled in (he had me at "animals")! He’d sold his business to travel, saying “Right now, I'm just trying to follow my heart and feel my way towards whatever comes next.” Welp… I guess I may have been a small part of what was meant to come next (I mean, I’m only 5’2”)! I quickly replied, and what you could call our "courtship" began. It was actually really interesting and kind of awesome to have the initial spark being built entirely through long written correspondences, before even hearing each others' voices. There was something pure and old fashioned about it in a refreshing way. Our mutual love of Nature and desire to lead minimalist lives that honored the Earth and all her inhabitants was a strong connection. And we had many uncanny things in common; our lives seemed to have been on parallel trajectories the 6 years prior. We'd even both discovered we have a love of cave hiking after doing our first hikes around the same time- he in New Zealand, me in Thailand, both in the heart of Mother Earth! The letters turned into long phone chats, a first date quickly followed, I moved in a year later, and now here we are getting married! Yet I can’t bring myself to erase my hidden Green Singles profile; it’s such a fun little time capsule to revisit and read what we both valued and were looking for... and to see that we found it in abundance xoxo

Days after our first hours-long phone conversation, I headed to CT to visit my mom. After debating about wether it was too soon to meet, I sent Erik a text from the train telling him I'd be in the state that night. At the time, Erik was in a masters program and living in Bethel at a Buddhist horse farm (yes, that's right. Now you see why I was so smitten right off the bat!). Despite having classes all weekend, he promptly replied that we could meet Sunday. Waterbury was a good halfway point, and with my being "moslty vegan" and he being "mostly vegetarian" we settled on a place Erik found called Sultan's Turkish Palace. He later realized it was actually named Sultan's Turkish Restaurant, and when I found out I wasn't being taken to a palace, I almost called it off (I made that same joke to him via text. My comedic timing was on FIRE. No wonder he put a ring on it)! The date went really well. I told a funny story of an encounter I had with a deer on the Wicklow Way Trail in Ireland, complete with several impersonations and Irish accents (again, FIRE) and I swear this secretly won him over. We went to hug goodbye after dinner, and he asked if I wanted to continue the night at a bar (despite the fact that he had worked 5 days, had full days of class all weekend, and was about to make a 10 hour drive to Michigan ​the next morning! I'm telling you, it was the accents). We found a nearby pub that was open, walked in to live Irish music and the place bedecked in orange, white, and green, and both exclaimed in unison “It’s St. Patrick’s Day!” We'd both forgotten! He said normally he celebrates because he loves Irish music, and my Irish heart lit up with joy. Over a couple Guinness's we got to know each other more, and it was one of the most fun, easy dates and connections. For our second date we went bowling and played pool and darts, and our third was a hike in the woods with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the car. It just kept getting better. Who needs a palace?

I consider the Yurt, our 3-day-long 4th date (and yes, Erik was a TOTAL gentleman) in New Hampshire, to be the womb where we as a couple began. I have a history that led to my having my guard up, and despite our amazing dates and two months of talking, I wasn't sure I was ready to trust again. Another of our connections is the value we see in Native spiritual rituals, and we wanted somewhere to better explore this together and get to know each other more deeply away from crowds of others. Erik had been interested in yurts, so I suggested going to one I'd been to that was special to me. We headed up the day after Good Friday, and spent the whole day talking late into the night. I told him about the significance the Celtic spiral symbol has for me since appearing to me in a vision during a healing ceremony, and how the Grouse is an animal totem connected to it due to a spiral mating dance it does. Early the next morning we heard and felt a mysterious thumping under the floorboards. We planned a hike that day, Easter Sunday, in the White Mountains, but further north the trail was covered in deep snow. I didn't have proper boots, so we spent a rainy day inside the yurt by the fire talking. And it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened (thank you Spirit)! We awoke to the thumping again, played with the rescue farm animals that live on the Yurt property, and did an awesome hike nearby. At this point I felt incredibly close to Erik, and by the end of that day, I knew I wanted to embark on a partnership with this man who had been so patient and compassionate with me, whose spirit I felt a deep bond with. That day was Earth Day. If that's not a sign I don't know what is! ...Well, maybe the Grouse that had been doing a mating dance under our floor all weekend- the source of the thumping, we learned! We're going back to our yurt for the first time, and on 8/8- the "Lion's Gate" and start of a new lunar cycle- we'll prepare for this next journey together!

Two months after the Yurt, Erik and I were staying at my mom's house, and one night I felt brimming with emotion I wanted to express. We had been avoiding labels like "boyfriend" and girlfriend." It didn't really matter to Erik- as labels don't carry weight for him- but as a recovering serial monogamist with a complex relationship history myself, I didn't want to rush into formal titles and big declarations... That night, after one of many long and deep heart-open conversations that were (and still are) a cornerstone of our relationship, I worked up the courage to whisper with feeling, "Erik... I care about you." And he burst out laughing! I of course balked and said, "What?!" and he chuckled and said "I know you do. You love me." The weight of those words hung in the air for a moment, and all I could manage to say was "Well, do you love me?" And he replied "I do. I do love you." I grinned ear to ear and (finally) told him I loved him too. That was the first time we said it, but I think in truth we had felt that way for some time. It felt so good to finally let the truth of the depth of this connection free. Our level of completely open, honest communication is one of the things about this relationship I cherish most. We have never had one real "fight" in the two years we've been together (one in which we lived together with the outside world shut down, so I'd say we passed the test!). We just speak from the heart about any and everything, and there is never a need for raised voices or angry words. We're always striving to be our most authentic selves in life, and to grow as both a couple AND as individuals. We value being strong in mind, body and spirit, and we'll be working on personal growth for the rest of our lives. The evolution we've experienced while together, and the love we share, continues to grow. Though to this day, in lieu of the L-word, we often teasingly say "I care about you."

When studios in NYC shut down, Erik built me a soundbooth that was such a success, we started building more for other voice actors. We planned on a spiritual ceremony at home for my 36th birthday, but our latest booth was running over, so we had to shelf the idea. I trusted the timing mustn't have been meant to be, but Erik needlessly felt bad and said he'd 'make it up to me.' Well, my ceremony turned into a trip to Kauai to hike the Kalalau Trail! I'd say I was right in trusting the flow of life! I'd always dreamt of doing a backpacking trip, and was elated that we'd be reigning in two years together in such a majestic part of the Earth! It was an experience of a lifetime. One of my biggest takeaways was how grateful I felt for Erik as my dependable partner on the journey- his sure footing and strong hand helping me cross the intense rivers; when he walked in front of me as we were being pelted by huge sand granules on the beach; how he'd push the weight of my pack up so I could keep climbing after hiking miles at major elevation gain. We had many moments that tested us, but in the end they made us stronger; and one of the things I love about this man is that he sees and celebrates my strength. I did wonder if a proposal could be in the cards... We had many romantic moments and epic settings on the trip. We saw so many gorgeous rainbows, slept on a beach and saw a whale, bathed naked in a sacred river, camped in Kōke'e State Park and did stunning day hikes, saw a wild boar, even ended up in a yurt by chance! On our last night we raced to find a spot to watch the sunset. On a lovely little beach, we had one of our famous talks, and just when I least expected it, he pulled out my handcrafted ring and asked if I wanted to marry him! I sobbed and said I had for some time. Our first day back home, we were welcomed by the most epic double rainbow either of us had ever seen ANYWHERE arching over our cabin... as though to herald our next great adventure together xoxo

We’re having a minimalist, unconventional wedding at Dennis Hill State Park, and I'm very proud it will live up to our environmental ideals. We met on “Green Singles,” so it seems only fitting that our celebration be a Green one (and that doubles for Kelly Green- I'm excited to connect to my Irish roots as our tribes gather in celebration! Be prepared for some great traditional Irish music! And maybe some accents? We know what a hit that is with my fiancé)! The party will be as eco-friendly as possible: no single-use plastic; locally grown veggies and free-range, ethically raised chicken and eggs- plus vegan goodies- supplied by Freund's Farm Market; even my Wedding Dress is 100% organic cotton made with repurposed materials by the boutique Love Shack Fancy- a woman-owned business whose mission is sustainability, eco-friendly materials and packaging, donating to environmental causes and third world women’s education funds, and employing women in countries like India for their craftsmanship skills at good wages. I couldn’t be happier that my search for my dress led me to a company with ethics that coincide with those dear to my heart! And let me tell you, the search was epic (I guess I'm a traditional bride in some ways! Better than being a Bridezilla!)! Even the space we'll be in is actually a 100 year old stone home converted to a picnic pavilion- aka REPURPOSED! Our journey as a couple has been filled with many spiritual moments, and our ceremony will incorporate our love and respect for the Natural world and elements of some of the Native cultures that have shaped our spiritual connection to this beautiful Earth. Plus we'll be surrounded by the lovely greenery of the Berkshire foothills, and can even see as far as New Hampshire! It’s going to be such a fun time, and we're so excited to dance and party with you all! Green is the color assigned to the heart chakra, and I already feel so full of love as I envision sharing this important moment of life with you.

We'll start a new lunar cycle with a trip to our beloved Yurt where our relationship began to center in to each other and have a "spiritual wedding" just the two of us, then we'll have an official ceremony and DIY reception in CT with my big Irish family (thanks Mom, Julia, Taryn, Hannah, Donna, Patrick & Laur for helping make this happen!), and two weeks later we'll be celebrating with the rest of Erik's family and friends from back home in Michigan at his parents' lovely property on the full moon, completing the cycle! I mean, there are 12 days of Christmas- why can't we have 3 wedding celebrations?! On August 28th we will be partying it up again at our fun backyard Michigan reception hosted by Dave and Evelyn Butz with the help of Erik's aunts Chris, Diane and Pam, and his sister-in-law Kari. I think another reason Erik and I click so well is that we both come from a close-knit tribe (mine with Celtic origins, his with Viking and Lebanese... talk about strong stock!), a family of people who support each other through thick and thin. They say it takes a village, right? I felt welcomed and accepted right away by Erik's relatives my first trip to MI, and they made me feel like already one of the family during the Christmas and Thanksgiving we shared. I'm so excited to get to know even more of them and spend time with Erik's dear friends. I love how loyal he is to everyone in his life, how he makes our importance to him known, and the time he makes to stay connected. Those in my family who've met him felt his genuine energy and integrity right away. I know he misses his friends and family often, and it's so special to us both that we will have a celebration at his family home with the Michigan side of this new enormous tribe. Our MI trip will be our honeymoon, in a way! And I can’t think of a better way to honor the commitment we'll have just made to spend our future together as life partners, than by sharing this joy with family in the place where his story began.

Physical distance, and social distance (for half the duration of our relationship!), have played a role in how well our friends and family have gotten to know us as a couple. I hope this website gives you deeper insight into our connection, and a glimpse into what we are all about; so come our wedding celebrations, anyone we haven't had the opportunity to meet or get well-aquatinted with prior, will feel that they DO know us in a true sense. And I hope that these fun days dedicated to celebrating togetherness and love- the most important thing in this world- will buoy everyone's Spirits. As my mom has pointed out, having something happy to celebrate couldn’t be coming at a better time. Envisioning these gatherings with you all there to help commemorate stepping into the next chapter of my life with a man I love more truthfully than I knew was possible, fills my soul with joy and light. Thank you so much for sharing in this time with us- even if that’s just by coming along for this written recap of elements of our journey. To quote one of our favorite songs by Nahko and Medicine for the People (another connection that floored me early on and helped seal the deal!): “I believe in the good things coming, coming, coming… I believe in the good things coming, coming, coming Out of darkness Lion heart pumping, pumping, pumping Into white light all things running, running, running….”