Sometimes, love just shows up when you least expect it…like on a last-minute trip to Nashville with your best friend, barhopping down Broadway in Broncos jerseys (yes, we were those girls). We had no idea our wild weekend would lead to meeting Darian, the security guard at The Valentine who would soon become the man of my dreams. There we were, probably laughing too loudly about something ridiculous (Jaden and I tend to do that), when Darian saw our jerseys and proudly started showing off his Broncos tattoo. I’m not sure if it was our shared Broncos spirit, his charm, or the way he made me laugh right away, but something clicked. That casual chat turned into spending most of the weekend at The Valentine, soaking up live music and enjoying each other’s company. On our last night, Darian was kind enough, (or brave enough?) to drive us back to our hotel. Although his truck was actually parked further away than our hotel was, so I think he just wanted to hang out a little longer. ;) As a joke, we invited him to Jaden’s bachelorette party in Vegas six months later. We didn’t think there was ever a possibility he’d actually show up… (spoiler alert: he did). We said our goodbyes in Tennessee, exchanged numbers, and started texting here and there. Those little chats quickly turned into calls, Facetimes, and eventually visits back and forth. Before we knew it, we were doing the long-distance thing. Darian had very strong opinions about never moving to Colorado, but love has a funny way of changing plans. After a year and a half, he made the move across the country to be with me and my kids, and now here we are, building a life together. Fast forward to the proposal (which I thought was just my birthday celebration). Surrounded by friends and family on the softball field, Darian “tripped” over first base. When I rushed over to “help” him (after a few minutes because I thought he was being dramatic...LOL) he rolled over, got on one knee, and asked me to marry him. Everyone cheered, I was completely surprised (and teary-eyed), and it was perfectly us: heartfelt, a little dramatic, and absolutely unforgettable. Now, here we are, ready to start the rest of our lives together, proving that sometimes the most unexpected moments lead to the most amazing love stories.