On February 4th, 2023, I met up with Sam at the Rockaway River Barn for dinner. The date went really well. But when I asked for her phone number, she said, "No." Not only that, but Sam would not allow me to pick her up for dates from her house for months. (I later found out that she was being careful, in case I was a predator.) Still, at the end of every date, I kept asking, "So, do I get to see you again?" To that question--and only that question--Sam said, "Yes." Two years later, she said "Yes" to another question: "Will you marry me?"

I was a little bit cautious about guys that I met online. I would vet them first via FaceTime call. For the life of me, I can only remember one thing about my first conversation with Tyler: me, filling the silence by yapping on about Roman Reigns' latest promo on WWE. I was so embarrassed when I got off the phone that I knew so much about pro wrestling. If only I knew that one year later, I'd be bundled up on a cold April night at Lincoln Financial Field, watching Wrestlemania live. Tyler and I are aligned on so many levels: we're family-oriented, committed to our careers, and deeply intellectual. Everything we do, we do together. He's made me love the Mets like I've never loved a sports team before. In return, I've shared my love of classical music with him. He's come to every orchestra concert I've played in, which means the whole world to me. Through hikes in Muir Woods, a two-person book club, and ferris wheel rides at Fantasy Island, we have brought each other more joy with each passing day. And as the days stretch into years, I am so grateful to be spending my life with him. I can't wait to call him my husband.