Yep, they both swiped right :) Now you know the truth, and now it gets interesting. The two met on November 2, 2013 at a coastal coffee shop to share a cup of tea and a crossword puzzle. As Chris climbed off his bike, he would lock eyes with Erica for the first time as she parked her car, and a few minutes later they would greet each other in front of a funky little second story coffee shop, a stones throw from the beach in Carlsbad, CA. After ordering tea, they sat down to unknowingly start their lives together. Small talk quickly turned into deep conversation about human connection and a variety of deep topics that would concern any normal human being on a first date, but they both loved every minute of it. After and hour or two, Chris would glance down to find a cross-word puzzle, plucked from the daily newspaper. Now, this wasn't just any cross-word puzzle, it happened to be the exact same cross-word puzzle he spent the entire morning(and some internet help) completing. In fact, it might have been the only cross-word puzzle he ever completed, but that isn't as important as what happened next, or the fact that it happened to be there, on that bench, unsolved and ready to dazzle. Chris threw the cross-word on the table and without divulging anything else, he suggested they attempt it to solve it, "together". It didn't take long before Chris whizzed through a few horizontal rows and a couple vertical columns before Erica decided he was some kind of genius. An hour went by and Chris darn near finished that puzzle, one answer after another, furrowing his brows and scratching his head... after all, you gotta give him some credit for remembering all the answers he wrote that morning. This little feat would go on to get him a second date, so you can't blame him for keeping it a secret for a few... years? Ya, years. "Oh, I thought I told you, haha!" After the cross-word and tea, they walked to the beach to watch the sun disappear over the still blue autumn horizon, not knowing it would be another 6 months before they would meet at the same coffee shop, while Chris was visiting from Hawaii. Another 6 months would pass before Erica decided she would visit him on Oahu. The two had been in touch with occasional phone calls and emails, but nothing had developed thus far, as Erica assured him that she would come and stay for a week "just as friends." Suuuuure, he thought, just friends. He picked her up at Honolulu airport with a bowl of guacamole, chips, and hand-picked tropical flowers. Looking back, Erica claims she knew it was more than friends as he loaded her suitcase in the car. They rounded the island and went for a brief hike along some steep cliffs with turquoise water below. Chris recalls falling in love with her immediately, as she opted out of wearing shoes or sandals and climbed right behind him, barefoot in a flowing black summer dress. That night, after a bonfire on a secluded beach, and some home-made pesto pasta, Chris couldn't resist, and kissed her cheek. They weren't "just friends" after all. After 2 more Hawaii visits, a long summer together in Encinitas, and a year of long-distance, the two moved in together in Leucadia.

After Chris asked Erica to be his girlfriend, back in 2015, the two went on their first road trip to Jalama Beach Park and camped out for a couple days. 6 years later, they would repeat the same road trip and Chris would get on his knee after a long beach walk, followed by a romantic night in Solvang.

Anything in nature! Beach walks and ocean swims, hiking and backpacking, playing cards, and exploring new cafes.

Air New Zealand had a ridiculous round-trip offer to fly from LA to the Cook Islands, then to New Zealand, and back to Tahiti. After a month of swimming in tropical lagoons, taking the ferry from the South Island of New Zealand to the North Island, and camping in a coconut grove on an island off Tahiti, they had enough memories for a lifetime.

When you are working remote, and your neighbor asks if you want to drive their 30 foot u-haul to Arkansas, and stay at their lake house; all expenses paid with return flights... Off they went, passing through Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, and finally Hot Springs, Arkansas.

I love his laugh. I love how adventurous, creative, and loving he is. He knows when to push me out of my comfort zone, to enjoy life on a different level, and for that I am always grateful.

I love how honest and generous she is. She has so much empathy and compassion, and sees the best in everyone. I had so much trust from day one.