We cannoli be happy when celebrating with you!

Flashing lights, good music, dancing: Illenium, November 2019. It was truly a concert to remember! But Melony and I didn’t meet there. Yes, we both attended, and yes we both went to meet with the same people, but you know how it is: that side of the friend group dissolves into the crowd, just as this side of the friend group dissolves into the crowd. We didn’t speak, or even notice one another. Fast forward to January, 2020: I’m invited to a lounge, and there I’m introduced to a woman who wouldn’t look at me. Our mutual friends say that we each have tickets to the same music festival in May, we exchange numbers so we could potentially meet up, and… stick to our respective—opposite—sides of the group. She was pretty cute, though… We all go to an upscale pizza place after, and I decide to crack the wall with my charming wit and suave looks (puns, mixed with a healthy level of awkwardness and dad jokes) We discovered a mutual love of the human-animal bond, and, after finding out I worked as an unlicensed vet tech, she popped the question: Could I help her wash her cat? Confused, I accepted. We texted for days, and our first kiss came the evening I went to wash her cat. Yes, literally wash her cat. We were not successful—he was shy around new people and hid upon my arrival; but the mission was accomplished: our lives were entwined the moment her lips touched mine, and now we’re making our happily ever after!

After realizing that Melony was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, I decided that I would propose to her and devised a plan: I’d propose via a build-a-bear. At New Years. We went for her birthday, so I could see what she liked and didn’t. As we started dating during the Pandemic, this was our first public date. The next day, I called her dad on my way to build-a-bear to ask his blessing, and the first words out of his mouth was: “Oh Crap.” I fumbled over some words, and he added “well yeah, if she wants to, you have my blessing.” Not being deterred, I built a bear with all my heart and recorded my proposal in the sound bit. The employees were beside themselves with glee, and did everything they could to help! (I nearly cried during the heart ceremony they lead me through—because of course I did the heart ceremony!) The following night, she asked me “do you ever see us getting married?” I panicked. She knew. I had to think quick: “moving a little fast, huh? We only just had our first date.” I felt her shrink a little—but I was in the clear! The following night was the the night: New Years Eve. It was just her and I celebrating, and we started the night watching a movie: “It’s About Time”—she promptly fell asleep. Ever the man who looks for signs, I panicked; the plan won’t work! However: in the movie, the male lead proposed to his girlfriend by waking her up. My focus renewed with the fresh sign that this’ll work, I woke her up 5 minutes before New Years, full of adrenaline!!… and she angrily glared at me before going back to sleep. Final attempt: I woke her one minute to midnight, and… fumbled the countdown. Watching her annoyance grow, I saw it turn to confusion as I told her that I had something for her, and gave her the bear. (She later told me she thought “oh no, he’s a weird guy who gets gifts for new years!”) Panic again: how do I get her to activate the recording??? I told her to hug it, and in the process she bumped the paw and presto: “I love you, and I’ll always love you; in sickness and in health. Melony Long: will you marry me?” Her confusion turned to giddy glee as I got down to my knee and the realization of what I recorded sunk in. She said “Yes!” and the rest? Well, we’re just getting started!