Sometimes the best stories begin when two very different paths cross at exactly the right moment. Maybe someday people will say we met “the old-fashioned way,” but thank goodness for technology—and for Shital deciding to use it while visiting her parents in the suburbs. :) Our first date took place on a brutally cold January night when the temperature dropped to negative twenty. I invited Shital out for Spanish tapas, hoping to impress her with stories from my time living in Spain and running with the bulls. When those attempts fell a little short, I relied on what I knew best—just being myself. Luckily for me, that worked. Somehow the high-fashion city girl found space in her life for a Costco-loving suburban dad. What started as a first date quickly turned into something more. We realized we shared a simple belief: the right person can make any moment special. Whether cooking dinner, discovering a new city, playing tennis, or listening to live music, we found joy in simply spending time together. What made our relationship truly special was how naturally—yet intentionally—our lives blended together. Shital didn’t just fall in love with me; she embraced the whole team. Watching her build her own relationship with the kids confirmed what I already knew. We balance each other in the best ways. Shital brings curiosity, warmth, and a sense of adventure to everything she does. Ed brings steadiness, humor, and a deep love for family into the life we are building together. At the center of it all is a shared belief that life is best lived with curiosity, a spirit of adventure, and the people you love most. What started on that freezing January night has grown into a lifetime of warm memories. During one of our favorite adventures, on a boat gliding across the blue waters of Lake Como in Italy, Ed asked Shital to marry him—and she said yes. We can’t wait to continue exploring the world together—one meal, one city, and one adventure at a time.