We're getting married!

Some of our family and friends think we met a a grocery store. Some think we met on Tinder. Both are stories we have told, but only one is true; we met on Tinder. I think we all know how Tinder works, I swipe right and Derek swipes right and we match! What is the most exciting part about how we met was our first date. I messaged Derek first and simply stated "Let's." Derek then replied, "Let's go to a Brooklyn Nets game." I obviously said yes, but for some reason the entire time leading up to our date, I thought we were going to a Mets game. I was fully prepared and about to get on the train to Queens, when I thought, you know let me just double check. So I looked at our conversation and sure enough, he definitely said Nets and Brooklyn. Thankfully, I went to the right place and met the man that I will soon call my husband.

I always knew that when Derek proposed it would be during a time when he would have forced me to do some activity that left me tired, sweaty, grumpy, and certainly not photo ready. In the weeks leading up to the proposal, Derek was adamant that we go camping for the weekend. This was not abnormal. What was abnormal was the fact that Derek planned the whole thing, and I mean called the campground and booked our site, nailed down a date and made it clear we were going. Derek always makes me do these things because he is terrified to speak on the phone, to the point where he always makes me call for our take out. So, I was definitely suspicious. On the day, we hiked the tallest peak in the Catskills. The whole time, I was working out in my head when he would do it, IF he was going to do it. To me, he did not seem nervous on our drive or even on the hike itself. So I began to second guess myself. I knew he wouldn't do it at the top of the peak, especially if there were people there because anyone who knows Derek, knows he does not like being the center of attention. So I began thinking, maybe he'll do it while we are back at the campsite sitting around the fire. So at this point, a proposal was out of sight and out of mind for the time being. As we started to descend the mountain, Derek mentions he wants to go and bushwhack a section of the hike. This was no surprise to me and very normal behavior for Derek. I always stay behind when he does this and he knows that too. So he runs off in the brush and trees with our little Pancho while I wait on the trail for them to come back. Some time later, I see him and Pancho running back at full speed and Derek yells that something got caught on Pancho and tells me to grab it. I grab a hold of Pancho and notice a ring tied on a string around Pancho's neck. Derek got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. After 8 years together, a dog, and a house, I said yes and we decided on forever.