When Basema and I met for the first time, I was not expecting such head-over-heels love. In all honesty, I almost turned down the invitation that opened the door to the possibility of where we are today! But luckily, God is a whole lot wiser than I am, and He made sure to guide my path directly into the beautifully interwoven road that Basema and I now walk hand-in-hand down. Anyway, back to the beginning of Us! I had been spending some time hanging out with one of my closest friends, Fahim, who decided to invite me to accompany him as he met with a friend that he knew from high school. And that friend was none other than Basema! I remember that night so clearly. Fahim and I drove to Drake’s (just down the road from Holy Mother Queen of All GOC, where we’ll be getting married!) and met with Basema in the parking lot out front. We all walked into the bar together and began chatting about various topics. Basema and I immediately “clicked.” We discussed our preferences for many things, ranging from boiled eggs to our tastes in wine. We exchanged numbers with the promise that we would hang out together soon. And that we did! We began texting back and forth, going on walks and drives, and spending time at a winery that would find itself as the catalyst to our engagement. As many people may already know, Basema and I share an affinity for wine. So much so that I decided it would be cute to make a deal between us: visit fifty wineries, and I would propose. We began voraciously visiting wineries all around central Kentucky, and it did not take us long to cover all of the wineries in the region. We soon had to range out to Louisville and beyond to progress towards our 50th, and we did so happily! Those trips deepened our love more than I could ever hope to put into words. We shared stories, jokes, gut-busting laughter, and tears as we regaled our lives to one another. I began devising how I would propose as we rapidly closed in upon our final winery. I found the perfect ring, told my family my plan, and asked her father and brother for their blessing. Once everything was in place, I set the finale in motion. I booked tickets to Paris, found the final winery in the city's heart, and patiently waited for us to begin our trek so I could finally ask my best friend to be my wife. The wait was excruciating! I am convinced that Basema believed that I was purposefully avoiding new wineries as we sat at 49/50 for a couple of months leading to our trip to Paris. It was worth every second, though. Finally, we arrived in Paris on September 11th and quickly began exploring. We were stunned by the city's beauty. We had a fantastic time enjoying French wine in the cellar of Chez Georges, our 50th winery, during our first night in the city. I sneakily stowed Basema’s engagement ring in a small pocket before we left to explore the city the following day. We adventured from the Catacombs to the Eiffel Tower, where we stopped to enjoy a fine spread of cheese and wine. As dusk settled, the Eiffel Tower came alive in a dazzling display of twinkling lights. Neither of us expected such a breath-taking display, and Basema certainly did not expect the question that I was about to ask her. I asked my best friend to spend the rest of our lives together, and as you might be able to guess, she said, “YES!”. So, nearly a year after meeting, going to fifty wineries, and traveling across two continents, I became happily engaged with the person that makes my heart the fullest that it has ever been - Basema Habash. September holds so much meaning for us. It was the month we met, became engaged, and the month that we will be married. I am beyond grateful I decided to go to Drake’s that night. I never expected a love story as endearing or as incredible as the one that Basema and I have had the opportunity to create together, but here we are celebrating our story with our family and friends. And on the very same day that we met!