Our love story began when we matched on Hinge in January 2022. We hit it off immediately and decided to meet up. We agreed on Axe Throwing, but unfortunately, our lane was double-booked. We headed to the Perfect Game for some bowling instead. Ernie showed up with flowers and my favorite candy, and I couldn't believe it. By the time we left the bowling alley, we had already planned to watch the Chiefs AFC Championship game the next day. Ernie made soup, and we talked for hours, realizing that there was something special between us. Since we lived far apart, we decided to talk on the phone during the week and then meet up towards the end of it. However, a snowstorm hit, and I had to go back home to teach virtually. Ernie offered Dixon and me to come work from his office, and we accepted. We spent the week getting to know each other and realized that we had a strong connection. While playing a game of skipbo, we officially declared ourselves a couple, and the rest is history.

Naturally, a snow storm came into play during our engagement story as well. Due to ring sizing, Allyson’s engagement ring had to be custom-made and ordered, but the jeweler still expected it to arrive a few days prior to Christmas. In the week leading up to that every phone call I received I was let down each time the other end of the phone was not the jeweler calling to tell me it had arrived and was ready to be picked up. Unfortunately for them that did not stop me from calling every day (or multiple times a day) to check in, when Allyson wasn’t around or wasn’t within ear shot. That snow storm I mentioned was scheduled to arrive on Christmas Eve and unfortunately the ring still hadn’t arrived on the 23rd - I went back and forth in my head many times about delaying the proposal or moving forward with it regardless. For better or worse, I decided the show would go on and went out on the 23rd to buy an interim engagement ring just in case the real one did not arrive by close of business on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately it did not arrive, but on Christmas Eve Allyson and I were hanging out in our basement while the dogs played down there….I suggested an afternoon pick-me-up and went upstairs to make us some coffee. While I stuck to my word and hit brew, I also put on my Santa-themed suit jacket, grabbed the uninspiring interim ring and asked Allyson to come upstairs and help me with something quickly. She was a bit surprised but obliged and I was waiting on one knee in the living room. Naturally I first apologized for the small ring I was about to put on her finger and explained the situation. Thankfully she still said Yes, well I think she actually said, “of course.” The shipping gods weren’t in our favor and the ring took another couple weeks, arriving on January 6…luckily it put the interim ring to shame & at that point the celebration was officially on!