Shannon and I did not meet in a traditional way – the first time we actually had a conversation was over the phone. I had a job lined up that eventually fell apart and I was looking for something quickly. I was told that I should just work at Postmates until I found something that was more aligned with my experience. I applied and got the interview. My first interview was with Shannon. I knew that I had wowed her with my wit, knowledge and charm, and that I had crushed the interview. At least, that was my perspective. For Shannon, she still to this day describes my interview as “forgettable.” Luckily for me, the second interviewer was a NASCAR fan and we basically talked about that for the majority of the interview, landing me the job. Who’s team did I end up on? And who did I sit next to? Shannon. She was smart, driven and beautiful; and still is. She always laughed at my jokes, and I thought that for sure I had her hooked.Once again, my perception was not reality. To Shannon, I was immature, a bit braggy and she was indeed, not hooked. Over the first few weeks of working for Shannon, I started falling for her. I found myself changing for the better. I was becoming someone that she could see herself being with. I am thankful that the old me wasn’t up to her standards, because it led me then and continues to lead me today to be a better man and partner. After weeks of wearing her down with my jokes, dog memes and flirting (also admitting to her on my birthday that I had a crush on her to which she replied, “I know”) she finally let me take her on a date. Lil Chicago Pizza at 1 am. We went back to her house to eat the pizza and wings and she was nervous I would try to make a move on her that would cost her her job. We made a pinky promise to each other that night that no boundaries would be crossed. It was the foundation of trust in our relationship and the start of the rest of our lives. It was not easy, but we dated in secret for 9 months before I was finally able to find a different job. And after those 9 months and all these years later, I'm thankful for that job that I didn’t care about. The job that was supposed to just be a blip in my story. The job that I gave a forgettable interview for. Turns out, the most important interview of my life. Thank you Shannon, for taking a chance on me when I probably hadn’t earned or deserved it – you have given me more than I ever imagined I would have in my life and I am honored to spend the rest of our lives together.