We’re getting married!

It all started with a comment on one of my Hinge profile pictures. Describing the picture, I was at Disneyland meeting Iron Man, laughing of course. The caption for the picture said “caption this”… well Isa’s comment said “It looks like he’s trying to recruit you for the Avenger’s initiative.. and it definitely made me laugh. From there we chatted on Hinge and the conversation was great. I prefer someone who can hold a conversation not just one word reply’s. We had our first date and meeting on October 30, 2023 at Bishop Estate Winery. We did a tasting at the counter and the interaction was as if I’ve met him before and we were already friends. We then sat at the table, shared a charcuterie box and had more wine. At the table I learned my tolerance for wine was higher than his especially since I went to the gym afterward. #dedicated The date lasted about 3 hours and a second date was scheduled. Our second date was at an apple orchard in Langhorne, PA where we had really good food and apple cider donuts. I really wanted an apple cider donut prior to going to the orchard, so after getting one it was finally out of my system.while waiting for our food to be cooked, we walked around the market area where candles and decor was sold. We smelled A LOT of candles and a particular one called Christmastide smelled sooo good. I really wanted it but wasn’t willing to pay the price for the size candle it was. Isa asked me if I wanted him to get it and I told him no because it cost too much. Both of us walked back to the food line and Isa left and says he’d be right back, he was going to go look around. He then came back with a bag in his hand, I asked him what it was and he gave me the bag. I looked inside and saw he bought the candle I wanted despite my request. I appreciated the gift and told him not to buy me anything else. Well that didn’t last long… to be continued with that. Next a mini photo shoot took place. I thought it’d be cool to take pictures in front of some trees with the farm land in the background, knew Isa was a photographer and so I asked him to take my picture while eating a donut. I was impressed by the angles and guidance while he took my picture. A third date happened next. I loveee IKEA and this is where our third date took place. We walked around IKEA until it was just about closing time. He bought some coup glasses and I don’t remember if I bought anything. Leaving the store, he walked me to my car and we chatted for quite a while. Mid conversation, I then kissed him and he almost fell out on my car… being dramatic lol. The fourth date, I went to his house and got a taste of his very yummy cooking. The chicken sandwich I had was SO good, my tastebuds were dancing. He asked me if I wanted to play VR which I had never done before, so I agreed to play. I don’t remember the game I played but it was fun for a first time experience. The fifth date was at Longwood Gardens during Christmas time. It was cold but bearable weather. The scenery and atmosphere was perfect for a date night. We didn’t get to see everything in the gardens due to the closing time, but tried to see as much as we could. The gardens was closing, so we walked back to our cars. We sat in Isa’s car and talked. He then told me he had something for me. He retrieved roses from his trunk (remembering that I like roses which was so sweet) and then asked me to be his girlfriend. At first I was unsure because I thought it was too soon, but then said yes because I knew I could see myself with him in the future. We then drove to another location to continue chatting about things and what the relationship was going to be like. Stay tuned for more about our journey.

When the Scene Finally Felt Right At the time Turquoise appeared on my Hinge feed, I was at a crossroads in life—work was heavy, dating hadn’t gone the way I hoped, and I quietly told myself this would be my last real attempt. I even remember saying a silent prayer about it. I didn’t realize it then, but her profile kept appearing at the exact moment my life was setting up the most important scene it would ever give me. I was at my best friend Fleck’s house in Wisconsin when I first noticed her. Her name—Turquoise—kept popping up on my screen. Three different times. Every time her profile appeared, something distracted me before I could fully look at it, but each time I remember thinking the same thing: wow, she’s beautiful. One of her photos was taken at Disney with Iron Man, which definitely earned extra points. Eventually, I sent a message I didn’t overthink: “It looks like he’s trying to recruit you for the Avengers Initiative.” I had no idea if it would work—but it did. From that moment on, we talked constantly. The conversation flowed effortlessly and felt different in the best way—natural, engaging, and real. Our first date was on October 30, 2023, at Bishop Estate Winery. I arrived early and remember watching her step out of her car. The only way I can describe it is cinematic—like time slowed down. The wind caught her curly brown hair, and I remember thinking, boy… I think I just found my wife. It was my first time at a winery, something I’d always wanted to experience. I got a little tipsy and quickly realized she could definitely outdrink me, but what stood out most was the conversation. We talked about everything—goals, family, achievements, pet peeves, loves, dislikes. There wasn’t a single awkward pause. Before that date, I had been joking with my brother Rasheed that if it didn’t work out, I was going to become a monk. We laughed about it, but walking into that night, I knew this felt different. On the drive home, I called him and couldn’t stop talking about her. I remember saying, man, this is a good woman. Over the next month, we went on several dates that were anything but ordinary—apple cider donuts, IKEA, long conversations, lots of laughter. I loved that they weren’t the typical “let’s just go out to eat” dates. They felt intentional. Through those moments, I saw how caring Turquoise truly is and how naturally we talked about family and life. At the end of one of those early dates, we shared our first kiss—which quite literally knocked me into my car. She thought I was being dramatic, but I wasn’t. I was just incredibly nervous. I hide it well, but that moment meant everything to me. By our fifth date, on November 25, 2023, at Longwood Gardens, I knew what I wanted. I chose one of the most romantic places I could think of—during one of the coldest times of the year—and bought a dozen roses. After walking the gardens and taking photos, I asked her to come back to my car. With my heart pounding like drums, I asked her to be my girlfriend. She said yes. From there, we started opening our schedules, planning time together, and choosing each other intentionally. What started as a single message became something steady, real, and deeply rooted in love. When the time came to ask Turquoise to spend the rest of her life with me, it didn’t feel like a question—it felt like the most natural next step. And this is how our forever began.