I put a spell on you!

First of all, Olivia, you better let me use some of my other ideas for this wedding after I agreed not to name the story “let me talk to my mom first.” Because indeed, this is what you texted me after I asked you out for the first time. But after a month of texting this mysterious pharmacist (I emphasize this because literally the first thing she both texted me and told me in person was what a pharmacist does), who either hailed from Purvis, MS or, Covington, LA, it was time to meet over coffee. And what a first meeting it was! It was my dog’s forever home day, and the ornery little bastard decided to celebrate by not eating his kibble. Needless to say, I was already a little nervous! Anyways, in walks this girl with what I would have to describe as a “a spy disguised as a librarian” aesthetic, and I proceeded to irritate her by paying for her coffee, unload about my pooch problems, ask if her brother can fix my shitty car, and give her a panic attack- I’m still not sure whether or not it was because I described my first time in Mississippi to her or it was because of the hug I gave her on the way home. Ain’t I swell? And perhaps in this absurdity is where I discovered the love of my life. I got home and over the next few days the spy/librarian/pharmacist asked if my dog was eating again (he was, thanks to some baby food I had to DoorDash deliver to me), tell me that I can pull off traditional Indian clothing, and sought to learn all about the Diwali holiday I was celebrating with my family. It struck me that for all my blunders (and my people can attest that I am a man defined by his blunders), finally somebody saw me as a person, and not the sum of said blunders. My foolishness certainly continued for the next year or so. I think somewhere along the way was going on a date where we literally colored with crayons, attending graduation with a concussion, and watching this mysterious pharmacist jump out of an airplane (my money is still on spy).

So…. He speaks the truth. I did tell him, "Let me talk to my mom first," when we were setting up a date and time for one of our first dates. I genuinely didn't realize how that sounded! Ha ha. I meant that I was supposed to visit my mom around that same weekend, so I needed to check with her before making any solid plans in order to not accidentally overbook. So I told this handsome stranger that I had to speak to my mom before making any date plans without giving him any context. I'm sure he was pleasantly surprised when I didn't show up to the date with my mom in tow! Ha ha. With that explained, here's what happened from my point of view. I found this adorable guy on Hinge. I was drawn to his amazing smile (with dimples!) and his passion, which was evident from his profile. So I swiped right and asked him about the sneaker collection he mentioned on his profile. And from there, the conversation grew. I have always been a nervous dater, but I found myself more excited than nervous to get his messages. But in true Olivia fashion, I was also not very optimistic, expecting him to ghost me sooner than later. But before I knew it, he was asking to meet in person! First dates were historically not great for me, and I usually wanted to bolt from my chair during most of the first dates I had been on. However, I walked away from that first date knowing there was something special about Varad. Although I was still extremely nervous for our date, I found myself put at ease by his presence and voice. I have never been so comfortable on a first date, and I was in awe that he was able to calm me just by being there and speaking to me casually. Varad's account is slightly off! We side-hugged after the first date, and I was nervous but okay. We shared a real hug after the second date, and that's when I had a panic attack. I have asked myself (and my therapist) many times since why I had that panic attack. I am almost certain it was because I could feel how quickly Varad and I were developing feelings for one another, and I foolishly got scared because I didn't want to get my hopes up so soon! In retrospect, it was so silly to panic because I know now that any amount of time, however short or long, is a blessing. I'm so looking forward to us having all the time in the world together now! We did continue to chat on the phone and go on dates, growing closer and closer. I met the notorious Moonshine and he lived up to his adorableness (and rascally-ness)! As time passed, my nervousness faded. Varad, both in our early days and now, manages to help keep me grounded. He shows me every day that he knows the true me, and instead of running away or finding my baggage to be too much, he loves me in a way that is helping to teach me how to love myself for who I am. Our relationship, although still relatively young in years, has spanned so many milestones, celebrations, challenges, moves, distance, losses, and gains. Through all the change and the chaos that life has brought already, the one thing that has remained constant and stable is our love and commitment to one another. And this is what we're looking forward to celebrating with everyone in June! Thank you to all our family and friends for all the love and support you have provided us with so far!