Steven and I's story began with a serendipitous connection on the dating app Hinge, the app that is meant to be deleted. This digital spark ignited while we were both residing in Dallas. After a few days of virtual banter, we took the plunge and exchanged phone numbers on December 22nd, 2020. On that day, Steven casually asked, "What are you up to?" I replied, "Packing to go home for Christmas," to which he shared, "Me too." The revelation that both our homes were in Birmingham, Alabama, unfolded, unveiling the technicality that he hailed from Mountain Brook, while I represented Hoover—ironically, high school football rivals. Despite our familiarity, the question of our shared flight that night loomed, unspoken between us. The morning of December 23rd, 2020, found me on the way to the airport with a friend when Steven inquired, "By any chance, what airline are you flying today?" "American," I said, and he responded, "Me too. My flight is at 10:50 am. What time is yours?" The realization hit me: Steven and I were on the same flight home—what were the odds? Unprepared for a rendezvous with the cute Hinge guy, I sported no makeup during this prime COVID time when masks were our constant companions. In a not-so-proud moment, I feigned tardiness to make a lasting impression, claiming I was running late to the airport. In reality, I lingered at a different gate. Meanwhile, Steven, indulging in a bit of Mountain Brook flair, had boarded the plane in First Class—something I chuckled about later. Steven recounted hearing my name being called on the plane as they searched for the elusive me, who had strategically waited until the last moment before the gate closed (yes, awkward). During the flight, I hastily applied makeup, anxious about meeting someone in person whom I barely knew. As fate would have it, Steven exited the plane first, while I lingered in the back. Waiting outside in the car pickup area, Steven, with his distinctive red hair and cat-themed COVID mask, caught my eye. He looked even cuter in person, leaving me genuinely impressed. Our first face-to-face conversation lasted a mere five minutes before my brother, picking me up from the airport, intervened to avoid police scrutiny. As I hopped into the car, my brother queried, "Who was that?" I replied with a smile, "A cute guy I met on Hinge." Fortunately, this wasn't the end of our story. Soon after, Steven texted, inviting me on a date to First Watch in Vestavia on December 26th, 2020. After that date, I knew Steven was different from anyone else I'd dated before, and it turned out to be a delightful truth. Our shared love for cats and Auburn deepened our connection. Now, as our narrative unfolds, it reaches a significant milestone with our wedding on April 13th, 2024.