In 2021, we both decided to give online dating a shot. I was in the final week of my paid subscription and was planning to cancel. But then, to my surprise this handsome man slid into my DMs. We started chatting and quickly bonded over our shared love of the beach and water. To be honest, I didn't think it was going to go anywhere beyond a few weeks of flirty texting. I was in Massachusetts having just finished grad school and still job hunting. He was in Kentucky with plans to move to Florida. But somehow, a couple of weeks turned to months. He quickly became the sweetest and the brightest spot of my day. I kept waiting for the conversation to go stale but it never happened. After nearly 8 months, we decided it was time to see if there was something there. So, Ray finally called. By our 3rd phone conversation, I knew he was the one. Finally, on April 24, 2022 we met in person for the first time and had our first date. That night confirmed what we already knew: there was no way we were going to live without each other. We were blown away by how perfectly compatible we are. Our values, beliefs, interests, in a million little ways... we just fit. We started praying that God would make a way for us to be together. And, with 465 miles between us, we kept talking and visited when we could. In March 2024, Ray proposed. On May 31, we will vow to say no more goodbyes. So, here's to our grand, new adventure!