Some love stories these days start on dating apps. Ours started with Debbie Pagels...... Alex had been surfing with my mom for over 15 years (yes, my mom), and one day while surfing in Sea Girt she suddenly decided it was time to mix surfing with matchmaking. After a great surf sesh she casually asked "Hey, are you single?". He said yes - unaware he was about to be roped into the most unconventional blind date of his life. Next thing I know, I'm being strongly encouraged to meet this surfer guy my mom "really thinks I'll like". I was travel nursing at the time, exhausted, skeptical, and honestly not thrilled about a blind date involving my parents...and a bar. But there we were at Rod's sitting at the bar on a first date. Me, Alex, my mom and my dad.... To my surprise I actually had fun. A lot of fun. Alex was funny, easy to talk to, and held his own sitting next to both my parents like a champ. We've been glued together ever since! So yes our first date was a family affair. But hey, when your love story starts with waves, a bartender and your parents all in the same room, you know it's going to be one for the books!