Candice: Who knew that rejecting someone, could actually bring you closer together than ever before? Okay, that doesn't really make sense, but it is honestly what happened and I still wouldn't change a thing. We met on a dating site *gasp!* where he immediately won some brownie points by complimenting my very compelling profile. Funny banter, endless text messages, and a rejection later...something kept pulling me back to him. I'll call it Fate, but he can call it whatever he wishes. We moved quick, but as scary as it was at times, I still felt the most love and security that I had ever felt in my life. I know all women boast about how incredibly lucky they are, how blessed, etc. But honestly, we have worked hard on the balance we have, so it's not luck. It's hard work, it is showing up for each other, it is making sure we are putting in our absolute best, every day, no matter how that looks. I am so unbelievably grateful for a partner like Joe. He is without a doubt the Sriracha to my Eggs, the Bacon to my Brussels, and whatever other food reference you want to imagine, because honestly...would you be surprised of any other analogy? 01-27-2024, the actual anniversary (according to him) Joe: She was playing hard to get and it worked. Maybe it was her laugh, maybe it was that undeniable spark...or maybe it was just pure stubbornness. After giving me a chance, what did I do? I dropped the ball, and by ball I mean her jewelry (ring) in the restaurant on our first date...and lost it. I spent the rest of the evening quietly losing it on the inside and she was completely unphased by it. I'm happy to say that by the end of our evening, I could already see us planning our second date, fifth date, our road trips, kid's birthday parties, walks on the beach, and a plethora of other memories that would inevitably become our shared lives together. To this day she continues to amaze me with how she holds herself as a partner, as a mother, and as a woman. She is without a doubt the cream to my coffee and you better make sure she has it in the morning.