We really want to be able to say that we met in some dramatic, serendipitous fashion. However, we met on Match.com. Brittany was obviously several leagues above Quintin (he wrote this). Fortunately he was reckless enough to try anyway. Using all of the suave and debonair charms he could muster, Quintin shot for the moon, and waited patiently for the laws of physics to kick in. Against all odds, she responded. No one truly knows why. According to Quintin, it may go down as one of the great mysteries of our time. But Brittany says her heart was always waiting to find him. “Starlite” Quintin thought to himself. Just the sort of place that could woo an angel studying Peace and Justice. Having frequented the place, he knew he would have to get reservations. He considered the date and time carefully: Saturday night. He sent the message and got confirmation. Heart a twitter, he continued with his week, waiting for that fateful night where physics would finally remember that it had a job to do. Friday came along, and the date turned into disaster. For those of you actually reading this, you may have reread the preceding paragraph and noticed that the first date was set for Saturday, how could the date be a disaster on Friday? Quintin’s thoughts exactly. He arrived home to find his Match inbox full of questions. Brittany (between school, work and dating) had gotten the date wrong. She assumed that Quintin had stood her up, thanks to the wonderful world of internet dating she was used to. He had to make this right, he emailed her back and apologized profusely, hoping they could still meet. Of course Brittany responded, having realized her mistake and telling him this was all completely her fault. She truly was as nice as her Match profile. Saturday came and Brittany found herself at Starlite for the second night in a row but now in the company of what would be the love of her life. They walked into Starlite and it changed their lives forever.

We had planned to go to Catalina Island just for a nice little weekend getaway and it was also our 18 month-o-versary. Quintin had never been before and he had planned the weekend. With our bags packed, we drove to Dana Point from San Diego to take the ferry. We had gotten there a bit early and Q suggested we walk over somewhere for brunch. I followed him across the street and up a bunch of stairs to the nice park in front of Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa. It was higher so you could look out over Dana Point Harbor and I had commented on the view. Q asked if I wanted to take a "photo for the gram", which should have tipped me off since he usually tells me "one and done" for photos! We took a selfie and when I turned around he took my hand and said, "Before we got to Catalina, I have a question for you.. (getting down on one knee) Will you marry me?" I was completely shocked, asked him if he was serious and began to cry as I said "YES OF COURSE!" Then in Q fashion he hugged me and told me to "cry that way" pointing to my right. I turned to see my friend Meg had been hiding in the bushes to take photos of the proposal! We all had brunch in the hotel and then Q and I sailed away to celebrate together on Catalina Island for the next 24 hours.