We met at work, two souls simply passing by until a glance became a pause, and a pause turned into possibility. Ryan will tell you it was love at first sight, a spark that lit quietly but brightly. He asked about me before he ever asked me out, and before long, we found ourselves sharing stolen moments over lunch at my desk. There was something in the way he looked at me, gentle and certain, that made my heart race in the softest, most unexpected way. He asked me on a date, but I was in a season of striving, working three jobs, building a life, and chasing the dream of owning my first home. I wasn’t ready, not just for romance, but for the kind of love I sensed would also require me to grow spiritually. Somehow, I knew that saying yes to Ryan meant saying yes to something deeper. Something divine. And I needed time. Still, friendship blossomed between us, quietly, steadily, beautifully. Then came a trip to New Orleans. Surrounded by art, food, and sunsets, I found my heart echoing with thoughts of him. I knew I loved him. I asked him on a date the day I returned. He chose Barcelona. The same place he later chose to propose. His proposal came beneath the stars at the Empire State Plaza during a lantern lighting event. It was just the two of us and a thousand lights. Romantic, intimate, timeless. But the moment I knew he was truly the one was in the way he loved my daughter. With patience, joy, and intention. He remembers her birthday. He celebrates her wins. He shows up in all the little ways that matter most. Watching him love her made me fall even more deeply in love with him. Now we’re getting married, and we can’t wait to celebrate the beginning of forever with the people who mean the most.