Te Amo Tanto!

We met in the traditional gay dating way...through an app! In the summer of 2023 Anderson was in Panama City Beach on a J-1 visa (summer work and travel) and Tim had just returned from a deployment to the Middle East. After their first meeting Anderson was insistent on getting Tim's phone number but Tim was a bit reluctant and said Anderson could have his snapchat. Anderson was persistent and Tim eventually agreed (BEST DECISION OF TIM'S LIFE!) Over the course of the next few months we started building our connection, always knowing that at the end of the summer Anderson would have to return to the DR. The future was uncertain but that did not deter us from having an amazing time with date nights, days on the boat, cuddles on the couch, making (and eating) traditional Tres Leches cake, lots of trips to Starbucks, and game nights with friends...etc. It was an incredible summer! One memory that will always stand out to me (Tim) is when I was traveling in Alaska for 10 days and Anderson and I had only been dating for a few weeks. We talked for hours on the phone while I would drive from one location to the next and I would send Anderson pictures of snow, since he has never seen it before. We talked about the many trips and adventures we wanted to have together and that we wanted to build a family. On one call Anderson said "I love you!" and I responded, "I love you too!" Both of us were a little shocked and since it was so late at night I jokingly asked Anderson if he would remember saying it in the morning. Sure enough, the next morning I asked if he remembered what he said and he asserted without hesitation that he did and that he meant it. A few days later I arrived at the airport back in Panama City Beach and Anderson was there waiting for me as I came down the escalator. I WILL NEVER FORGET that moment. He had taken an uber 20 minutes to the airport and sat there waiting for me even though my flight was seriously delayed. I cried when I saw him. No partner had ever been so sweet and Anderson had my heart right then and there! At the end of it all it felt like we had squeezed a whole year of dates and relationship building into just a few months. Anderson returned to the DR and Tim eventually got stationed in Fort Lauderdale. We remained long distance and thank God we are both great communicators because we never could have made it without those skills. Countless trips to the DR, another summer in the USA for Anderson, and I knew this was the man I wanted to spend my life with and build a family together. In May of 2024 I booked a private boat to take Anderson and I out and over some candlelight and tres leches cake...I asked him to spend the rest of our lives together. Thankfully, he said yes!