Our story technically began with a swipe… courtesy of my mom. She had been given permission to play matchmaker on Hinge, and she’s the one who came across Nate’s profile and swiped right. (Apparently, my mom knows my type better than I do, hahaha.) Luckily, Nate swiped right too — and before long, we were chatting and planning our first date. We chose The Stilt House in downtown Cedarburg. What I didn’t realize was that my parents were also planning a night out downtown that same evening. I suggested they pick any other restaurant to avoid the possibility of a very awkward encounter. They agreed… but as I would find out, their definition of “avoiding awkwardness” and mine are very different. I arrived first and grabbed a table at the front of the restaurant, right by a big window overlooking the sidewalk. I was hoping Nate would be able to spot me right away. Nate had parked an excessive number of blocks away and, as I later learned, had managed to trip on his walk to the restaurant. (Not exactly the smoothest start — but memorable.) The date itself was everything we could have hoped for. We ate, we drank, we laughed, and the conversation just flowed. At one point, though, I got a little distracted. While Nate was enthusiastically telling me about his job in civil engineering (I promise I was listening, Nate), I caught sight of my parents walking right past the big window. Smiling. Watching. Very much noticing Nate. I did my best to act natural, but a little while later they came back. This time my dad actually knocked on the glass and waved while my mom stood next to him laughing. Subtle, right? Which meant I had to pause mid–first date to explain to Nate who they were and why they were there — attempting to make the incident as casual as possible. Just another first date. What do you mean this is weird? As we said goodbye, I teased Nate to “walk carefully” back to his car. By the time I got into mine, I already had a text: he’d made it safely back without tripping. And that’s how our story began — with my mom’s swipe, my dad’s wave, and Nate’s unforgettable first impression.