We met on the dating app Bumble, of all the crazy things. I did not believe in dating apps and thought they were ridiculous. But after my son told me I needed to at least try to meet new people and three other random people from three very different parts of my life told me in the same week I should try that specific app, I decided to give it a shot--with the goal of proving these things don't work, so people would leave me alone about it. Mike and I signed up on the very same day--the first of many magical coincidences in our relationship. I didn't know how to work the app and ended up accidentally swiping on his profile picture and then felt obligated to at least say "hi." We ended up setting up a brunch date a week later. It was a nice date and I remember thinking, "I could probably go out with him again." I did go out with him again (and again and again) and kept saying that for a month before deleting the app and deciding I wasn't really even interested in going out with anyone else. Mike went into it looking for "the one," but did not expect to find me so soon. But "meant to be" happens when it happens, whether a person is specifically looking for it or not. After we got engaged, a friend asked me if I was now a firm believer in Bumble. I told her I was not but that I was a firm believer that the right people come into our lives at the right time through whatever door presents itself.

Early on, we discovered that one of the many magical things we have in common is our birthday, August 11. This year (2023), Mike told me he wanted to plan our birthday party, so I turned the reins over to him and let him run with it. He planned a big dinner with all our kids (8 between us), some bonus kids, and his parents at a sushi restaurant he has frequented for years and that he and I have had several dates at. We ate delicious food and enjoyed each other's company, and after dinner, there was a presentation of gifts. Mike kept standing up and having some little something to say, which he told me later was to get everyone used to the idea of him making speeches. At one point, he presented me with a small gift box, which got everyone kicking each other under the table and getting their cameras out. It was a lovely necklace, rather than the ring several people (except me) were starting to suspect might be coming. It definitely did its job as a decoy gift and quieted people's suspicions. Mike had also planned an activity for us all after the meal, which was Game Show Battle Rooms. He had arranged for the two of us to be captains of the teams, and when we arrived, the kids drew blindly to be assigned to a team. We then competed in classic game show style games, like Wheel of Fortune, The Price is Right, and finally, Plinko. Mike arranged with the game show host for me to be the last contestant and to get the "grand finale" chip for Plinko. That special chip would grant me a special bonus question at the end of my turn. My team was winning decisively, but I was really into the spirit of it all and had absolutely NO suspicions that the bonus question had been pre-arranged. I dropped my chip and came down the ladder to receive my question. The question was "Will she say yes?" and then suddenly Mike had the microphone. Simultaneously, the song I had had written for Mike for his birthday gift and the picture slideshow that goes along with it started playing on the large Wheel of Fortune screen behind us. I was literally so confused at first. Mike explained to everyone that it was the song I had given him and then said he wanted everyone to hear it and then he had something to say. When the song was over, he made a very sweet little speech and then asked me to marry him. I, of course, said yes. And, now, here we are, planning a wedding that will take place just a little over four months from the proposal. It's a crazy, beautiful story, and I love that it's ours. And I love that we get to share this journey with the people who are so important to us. Thank you for for being part of our story! (You can view the proposal video above if you are interested.)