it's Happening!

So how did this happen? What weird cutesy romance story is it? Two words: Anime Central 2012 Okay it two words and a year. Ri had been looking for a way to help offset the cost of attending Acen as it was starting to get expensive between hotel and all the other stuff. A friend had suggested trying staffing on a slightly more serious note in 2011 but Ri didn't think she would be able to make it on staff. After all there was a screening process and surely Acen was picky. By some stroke of luck, Ri was given the go ahead to be on staff for 2012. She could only make the very last staff meeting pre-con. It was there fates collided and time stopped and.... Yeah. No. Staff meeting everyone sat according to departments. Dan had brought donut holes for everyone and Ri thinking it be funny to take a picture of him with the container on his head did so and right after it fell all over the floor. Board asked who made the commotion and when they saw it was Customer Service they said go figure. And that's how it started.

So Acen all the Acens. When Dan took a break from staffing it wasn't the same without him. Ri didn't last much longer with staffing Acen. However with her other con it was still enough. December 2017 Dan needed time to kill getting a new ID for his job at O'Hare and since it was MFF that weekend Ri suggested he come hang out for awhile. It was around then Ri had begun to have thoughts that maybe she had been looking in all the wrong places to find someone to date. From that con onwards into the spring and summer they started to hang out some more. During the summer Ri asked if Dan could please go to the events of her sister's upcoming wedding just to have a date and someone to talk to as it was beginning to have a rough transition with such a big shift in Ri's family dynamic. Sure the families saw it but Ri made a point to correct them that they were not dating. Cue some teasing from the cousins that saw what was truly there. Ri finally had the guts to ask Dan out in September (11th of all the random days) and it was not an immediate yes from him. Another strike out in her mind but hey they could still enjoy the wedding as friends. Wedding was nice and Dan was her saving grace from wanting to tear some people some new ones during the reception. Having social withdrawal from all the wedding stuff and not being up early enjoy to join Evi and the flower girls for berry picking, Ri suggested apple picking at All Seasons Orchard and Dan agreed to go. More fun to be had! October came around and so came the yearly Halloween Party hosted by Brittany and Donny. Course Ri wanted to invite Dan and sorta confirmed they were dating and when she asked when Dan told her it was the apple picking that counted as the first date. (Ri isn't so good with things sometimes XD )

Ahh 2020 what a messed up year to be alive. After celebrating 2 years of dating, Ri very much had on her mind that a wedding should be in order. A simple informal ask got the plans rolling in Mid-October but both agreed to hold off on announcing until a ring was procured. Such a simple thing that turns this into one memorable story. Dan ordered the ring in November but thanks to Covid-19 and everyone online shopping and the USPS being completely overwhelmed what should have been a simple few day trip for the ring turned into nearly 5 weeks. Ri grew restless wondering if the post office had lost the ring. On the eve of New Year's Eve the ring arrived at Dan's home finally. With a long weekend ahead Ri came over and he presented her with the box and was told to open it. Going through 2 boxes Ri opened where the ring box should have been and it was empty! All the waiting and this would be how 2020 would throw a final joke. Seeing the joke was not going over well, Dan handed her the ring box and promised it was a joke and asked if she still wanted to marry him. One tiny pout later, Ri said of course and celebrated with a glass of Blood Orange Soda and mini cakes from Whole Foods.