Trent, seriously. Look, I know you've been holding these cards close to your chest for a while now, but I think it's safe to say that we both are grateful you finally played your hand. When you invited Richard to hang out at Kris's with our group of friends, both Richard and I knew that you were setting us up, despite your adamant insistence to the contrary. We still roll our eyes remembering the absolute ZERO chill that you and everyone else had while we all sat there for movie night before Richard asked me on our first date. Richard and I sat there six inches apart, keeping to ourselves the urge to reach out to the other. While we sat there and TRIED to pay attention to the movie, every other person in the room kept their eyes on us with anticipatory and eager stares, and we knew it, and could feel it almost tangibly. Well soon enough, Richard messaged me on insta and got my number. He loaded up some firewood in the back of the truck (which by the way I ended up crashing my car into just two weeks later - Sorry Mike. But that's a story for another day) and we headed to the mountains for a hike and a campfire. That was May 7. Since that day, Richard and I have not let a day pass without being together. After all the searching, all the garbage apps, and sifting through awkward moments that come with looking for the right person but not finding them, we finally have. We found each other. He is my best friend, a father to my children, my swole mate. He's my hero, my other half, and the missing puzzle piece that I'd nearly given up hope of finding. So Trent, Thank you. Thank you for bringing this man into my life. Esther, thank you for pushing and supporting Trent so that he could be where he needed to be when Richard came along. Kris and Kalenn, thank you for providing a place for us to meet. Jeremy, Jessie, Kyle, Lisa, Ryan, Cheryl, Jordan, Jess, Brandon, Katie and Paul, thank you for welcoming me into the group. And to my Richard - I freaking love you!

The murder mystery party had been planned weeks in advance. Complete with a whole crew all the way from Las Vegas who would create an amazing live action, participant integrated experience for us. Kalenn had planned and plotted with the producer, and had given him dirt on everyone who would be there. Unbeknownst to me, Richard too, had been plotting. He got in touch with all our friends, and was looking for a creative way to pop the question. He set up the whole thing right under my nose. I even sat in the same room with him while he texted and conspired this elaborate plan. Concealed from my knowledge, the ring even sat in the same room with me for weeks. So Friday night Sep 25 comes along. We finish our work, and get dressed up in our costumes for the party, me in an elegant, flowy Kaleesi costume, and Richard in a million layers of his John Snow costume. We looked pretty awesome, not gonna lie. The last 90 days at the gym were definitely showing. We had to be on stage the next day though, so we were trying to be careful with the 7 course meal we were up against. We arrived early, watching a steady flow of medieval guests join the party one by one. The lords, the ladys, and even the wenches, some our friends, some actors. Then came the moment where we all had to solve the murder. Our CSI agent from Jersey, with a folder containing pages upon pages of details for each guest, strolled in. He made his rounds, narrowing down suspects, and settled on Richard. "Ricky," as he called him, was accused of some suspicious activity with one of the wenches, "Lucy". "If you didn't do this, you gotta prove it." The CSI agent leaned in hard on him. At that moment, the thought hit me that this might actually go down. Before I knew it, Richard was on one knee. I was shaking. I couldn't say a word. So with all the energy I had, I nodded as fast and as hard as I could until I could say "yes," to him when he said the words I'd waited with excitement to hear.