Late February 2024, I’m sitting on my couch, curled up and cozy. Ping! I pick up my phone. 'Pedro has sent you a message.' I click on the notification. Someone had responded to my generic “get to know you” Hinge prompt: “3 things I love most: Coffee, thunderstorm watching and a good book.” It was Pedro. “This sounds perfect. How about Friday at 7?” “That works with me!” “Great, I’ll see you then!”   Exactly one week later, Pedro and I were sitting in a bookshop sheltering from the early spring downpour outside.  We talked and sipped on coffee. We finished our drinks and kept talking. The conversation was natural and filled with exchanges of giddy smiles and nervous first-date laughter. Neither one of us wanted the conversation to come to an end.  Did Hinge actually set us up on the best date of our lives? There’s no way this person has been on the other side of NWA this entire time. I think this might be something special.   It's been over a year since our first date. The coffee still gets finished way before the conversation ends and the conversations are still filled with laughter, but now from inside jokes and humor only we understand. Our home is filled with music, artwork, movies and pet hair. Our hearts are full of love: for each other, for our people, our pets and our hobbies. We are so thankful the universe has brought us together and the reminder that sometimes beautiful things happen unexpectedly. We are incredibly grateful for the life we’ve shared so far and the life we will continue to  share together, whatever it may bring.   We can’t wait to celebrate our love with all our people!