I had my eye on Julia for quite a while. Her quiet, unassuming demeanor would subtly add warmth and intrigue to any room she would grace her presence with. However, she was always distracted with someone else. While there were distractions of my own, I had a curiosity about her that lingered in the back of my mind. I noticed she was kind, mature, responsible, a go-getter. Our friendship was growing, and I found out that she loves God, is like-minded, and we have similar hobbies. How could I not explore this opportunity? It was getting to the point where I had to say something. And say something I did one summer night in 2023. She had just casually started seeing someone new, and I did not want to take my chances of this turning into another one of her long flings (she’s very loyal). So I swooped in and fired my shot. “Oh wow. I wasn’t expecting this”, she said. At that moment our entire 2 year friendship up to that point flashed before my eyes. “What did I get wrong?” I asked myself. A few moments went by. “Let me think about it”, she said, “for a week.” That was the slowest week of my life. At a party the next week I saw her across the way and she motioned for me to come over. “I broke up with Jack”, she said. Excitement started welling up inside me. “Oh wow”, I said, trying to stay cool. “How did that happen?” “He just wasn’t the one for me,” she said. Then she looked at me intently, “I have just one question for you.” “Um sure, ok. What’s up?” “Are you serious?” Taken aback I said, “yes of course I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be?” “Oh ok. I was just making sure,” she said. “Well I’ve decided to give you a chance, but you’ve only got one month.” “One month for our relationship? That’s not enough time”, I said. “We need three months to see if this is going anywhere.” “No, because I want to stay friends with you if it doesn’t work”, she said. Then she added, “but I’ll give you two.” And that was the start of what would become our happily ever after. As our relationship grew, there were twists and turns. Our time was filled with laughter, adventure, learning about each other, crying, and some more laughter. She continued to surprise and delight me. We grew closer and closer until one day we said we love each other. I’m very excited to spend the rest of my life with someone who is a true friend on so many levels. And I’m excited to share this day with all of you!

It all began on a warm summer evening at an arcade where our church group gathered. I’ll never forget spotting Sam in a bright yellow shirt and blue jeans, fiercely playing a machine. My first thought? What a happy guy, he just has this spark that I think is very unique. As the night wound down, we chatted while walking to our cars. Real estate came up, and I casually invited him to see my new duplex listing the next day. He arrived looking sharp, asking smart questions, and I thought, Who is this guy? At the time, Sam was interested in someone else, and I was focused on work. We became casual friends, crossing paths at group hangouts. When he joined our church group, our connection grew—slowly, naturally, authentically. A turning point came when I helped plan Sam’s 30th birthday. We bonded over debates, shared values, faith, life, business, even politics—and it was always fun. Our friendship deepened, and one day, seeing him sad before a trip, I realized how much I cared. The spark ignited at Sam’s 31st birthday, a hilarious “geriatric-themed” party I helped organize. He showed up at my office early, dressed as the most handsome grandpa ever—white shirt, high-waisted pants, cane and all. “I don’t mind growing old with him,” I thought. When he asked me to spray-paint his eyebrows, his Cancun blue eyes sparkled up close, and my heart got a bit happy. His charm was working—maybe it was his plan all along. We grew closer, talking constantly. I vented about dating apps, and Sam became my confidant. When I mentioned another guy, he suggested ice cream, then a dinner in Los Gatos. I didn’t realize it was a date and babbled about someone else until he gently said, “Are we talking about him again?” Oops—I hadn’t known I was on his radar. Dropping him off at his car, Sam hesitated, eyes flicking to the door handle, then to me, back and forth. Finally, he said, “I need to tell you something—I have feelings for you. I’d like to give us a try.” Stunned, I asked for a week to think, not wanting to risk our friendship. I offered a one-month trial, he negotiated two, and our love story began—slowly, sweet, and genuine. Life with Sam is a joy. We cherish date nights, competing at different games, riding tandem bikes, beach trips, music, books, and pondering life’s meaning over a good drink. Sam’s smart, thoughtful, authentic—and his clever heart stole mine. Then came the proposal on a beach near my favorite spot, waves crashing, friends hiding, his blue eyes shining. My heart burst with joy and love. Of course, I said yes to my soulmate! We are excited about our future—building a family, chasing adventures, and growing old together, surrounded by loved ones. Sam is a great gentleman and a blessing. I’m grateful God crossed our paths at the perfect time and that we get to celebrate with our loved ones soon!