We're Getting Married!

I first met Danny in December 2020, while I was living in New York City. That very night, I called my little sister and said, "I found the one—I found my husband." Danny would drive into the city every Friday afternoon and pick me up from my apartment, despite the hours of rush-hour traffic we would sit in (but, it was totally worth it). I would stay with him for the entire weekend, yet it never felt like enough time. I didn’t realize how heavy the midnight drives back would feel. As my lease was about to expire that summer, I knew the only thing that made sense was to move closer to him. I moved into a 450 square foot studio about two minutes away, and while I always thought of it as "our" apartment, I knew we needed more space. Ironing Danny's police academy uniform 3 feet away from the couch, bathroom & kitchen table at the same time just wasn't cutting it. We ventured to Stamford, adopted Ziggy (within a week of us living there), tried new restaurants and created a beautiful home where we often hosted events with our friends and family all in one place. Fast forward about two years and an entirely different career, we're living back in Westchester. Danny said to me, "You know, we never really celebrated your new job. Let's get really dressed up and we'll go somewhere nice." It's now Friday, June 28, 2024, and he can't stop talking on the drive to wherever we were going (I should have thought more of the beads of nervous sweat forming on his forehead). We stopped at this little private entrance to a beach back in Stamford- where we created our first real home together. We walked down the rose-lined path to where Danny got on one knee (I could tell he was practicing- his form was impeccable) and asked me to marry him! As a young girl, I always thought about the man I would marry one day. Somehow, the man I get to call my future husband has exceeded my every expectation.

On Sunday, January 3, 2021, my life changed forever. After our first date, I walked back to my car, sat down, & my heart was pounding. I took a deep breath & in that moment, I knew Jess was the girl I was going to marry. Since that day, I drove my beat up 2011 Subaru legacy to the city every weekend to see her- I have no idea how my car survived every trip. I made sure I didn't have plans for every weekend for the next 7 months so we could spend time together. I absolutely hated the New York City traffic & parking, but it was always worth it to see her. You'd think we'd go explore what the city had to offer, but every day we watched movies, talked about life & our families & we played A LOT of UNO (which embarrassingly enough, I lost many games). A few months later, Jess told me she wanted to move out of her apartment and move to Westchester. I was so happy knowing I didn't have to wait until the weekends to see her & I didn't have to deal with the headache of driving into the city (my car was most relieved). Jess moved into a small studio apartment that was 2 minutes away from my house. I was so excited because I could see her whenever she was free. In the beginning, I was staying over her apartment a few days a week and then somehow, I was sleeping there almost every night. Jess gave me my own little closet with a hanging organizer for my clothes. Two weeks later, I was at home and I realized I had nothing in my closet & my bathroom was empty. I left all my underwear, clothes and toothbrush at her apartment- so it just made sense for me to move in. We made so many beautiful memories there, & it technically was our 1st apartment together (even though I wasn't paying rent). The bedroom was in the living room & the kitchen was 5 feet away, but we made it work. Jess got a new job teaching in Mount Vernon & funny enough, I was in the police academy for Mount Vernon. Jess ironed all my uniforms, organized my notes from class & meal prepped all my lunches daily. Before I went to bed, I'd hang up my uniform & leave my academy bag near the door. Jess would be in bed, & I would stand there for 10 minutes & triple check to make sure I had everything ready. Jess would get up, walk over & say "Okay, you have your shirt, your tie, your pens, your pants, your belt" etc. & ease my mind. Once I graduated the academy, we knew we needed a bigger place. We moved to Stamford & it really started to feel like our first home together. Two weeks before we moved, Jess told me she was going to drop off some blankets at the Westchester animal shelter. I was at work & Jess Facetimed me (crying) & I already knew what was coming next. She flips the camera & showed me this little skinny black dog in a cage (he was very cute & persuasive). Of course, we adopted him & named him Ziggy. The apartment easily fit us 3 & allowed Ziggy room to run around. Jess decorated the apartment so well & we loved hosting birthdays and Friendsgivings with friends & family. Rent began to get a bit much & luckily enough, my parents helped us renovate a beautiful apartment that we moved into. I transferred departments & I could finally start saving up for a ring. I went to the jewelers with Jess's dad & found the ring I was going to propose to her with. I asked Jess's mom, sister, sister-in-law & my best friend to meet me at a beach in Stamford & we started laying out roses on the sand. I barely remember the drive to the beach with Jess because I was so nervous. I was talking the whole 40 minutes & barely let Jess get a word out. We got out of the car, walked down towards the beach, & the rest was a blur. Everything I had practiced saying was completely wiped from my memory (but I did remember to take out the ring, get on one knee & ask her to marry me). Unfortunately, I can't type every beautiful detail/memory Jess & I have shared, but I'm so proud of the life & love we've created. I am the man I am today because of Jess & I'm forever grateful for her coming into my life.