Our first date was on a rare sunny afternoon in October at the Corner Pub in Bow Edison. We hadn't met face to face yet and both of us were nervous. Dustin arrived a half hour early to have a beer for nerves, while I on the other hand, drove around the block a few times to make sure I was promptly, fashionably late.. Just when Dustin thought he was stood up, I walked into the bar. I didn't even have to look around, I knew who Dustin was just by how he was beaming at me. The bar was crowded and yet everyone seemed to move easily out of my path as I found my seat next to my later to be the love of my life. It wasn't at this moment that I knew Dustin was going to be in my life forever, that came just a few hours later... Now, I had been on a series of terrible dates, and was prepared for this one to go the same way, so I made sure to have back up plans with with one of my girlfriends for our weekly Karaoke night, just in case the date went south or lord forbid I got catfished yet again. After a few drinks with Dustin, the date seemed to be coming to an end and I honestly wasn't ready for it to, I turned to him and said, "Well, I have other plans tonight and was going to use it as an excuse to get out of this date if it went bad. You don't seem like a total creep...wanna go to karaoke?" Of course he said yes.. and so our adventure began. Anyone who says yes to karaoke on a first date is definitely a keeper, right? We spent the night laughing and singing our hearts out. As corny as it sounds, it was like a sweet happy dream where everyone and everything else just fades away and all there was was me and him. At the end of the night Dustin walked me to my car, gave me one heck of a Hollywood kiss and sent me on my way. It was on the drive home that I knew I had found someone truly special, I didn't know him quite yet, but my heart knew I needed to find out who he was and who he would be in my future.

I had been messaging this beautiful lady on a dating website and finally received a message back. Now I'm not very good at explaining my life and self over messages, so I had to talk her into meeting me face to face. Luckily she caved. We planned to meet at a little country bar in the middle of "Nowhere"...literally. This was very surprising to me because if you haven't met a bald, tattooed guy in person yet, most people are little skeptical, and would of chosen a more public nearby place to meet for the first time. But hey, I wasn't going to argue, this super pretty lady wants to meet me. I showed up at the Corner about an hour early to get a feel of the place and have a drink to calm my nerves. As much as I could... lol. I was two cocktails down and playing over dumb scenarios in my head of being stood up. I had situated myself so that I could see the front door, it was probably the 30 something time I had glanced at the door... The sun was perfectly situated as she walked up to the door, it glowed threw her amazing deep red hair with a tint of purple. She had on a pair of knee high boots with an outfit that fit her personality perfectly, army green vest & leggings. The sight of her instantly made my stomach fill with butterflies and I was totally astounded. I somehow gained the strength to wave and stand up to greet her. She hugged me first thing! We sat and had the conversation everyone has on a first date, but we quickly felt comfortable in each other's company. After a few drinks and some very forward questions from Lauren, she invited me to join her to another bar for karaoke. She has amazing voice by the way! I knew after just a few hours that I had to keep her! So I did the only thing I could do, I grabbed her and laid the best kiss I had on her... It worked! She actually wanted to hang out with me again!

It only seem fit that Dustin would propose at our favorite place and where our first date was. I wish I could give you a good lovey romantic proposal but it was perfectly simple, just like Dustin and I. It was a sunny afternoon and we had taken Dustin's son Blake out for a drive and stopped for lunch at the Corner. I don't think Dustin even knew yet that today was the day. He had been carrying around the ring all week..waiting for the right moment. We had a great lunch and played a game while sitting outside on the patio. This would be the time you would think for Dustin to pop down on one knee.. but nope not yet. Lunch was over and we walked out to our car. We were just about to pull out of the parking lot when all of a sudden Dustin just stops, gets out the drivers side and walks behind the car over to my side. At this point I had no idea what was going on and figured we were having car trouble? He swung open my passenger side door and dropped down on one knee. I can't even tell you what all he said, it was all a euphoric blur. I just saw the look in his eyes and knew he was asking to spend the rest of our lives together. I said Yes! Right there in the parking lot of our first date and with Blake in the back seat. It wasn't big and glamorous, but it was perfectly us.

I finally bought the ring that matched Lauren's personality perfectly. We were at the Corner, the place of our first meet. We were regulars there at this point. I had turned over sooooo many ideas on how I would ask Lauren to spend the rest of her life with me. So I made sure I had the ring in the car just in case the "Perfect" moment came. We had the kids with us this outing, so I really wasn't sure if today was going to be the day. We finished lunch and walked to the car and Lauren got in the passenger side thinking we were leaving. I thought to myself, "this is as good as any time." I opened the car door and literally dropped to one knee, I told her how amazing she is and how I have never met a woman so perfectly matched to spend my life with. I opened the box to reveal the ring, and asked her to share the rest of her life with me... Pretty smooth eh?? Middle of the parking lot, at the place we first met and shared our first goodnight kiss. Ok, I'm not smooth, nor was my proposal very romantic at all, but I knew she was the one and only woman for me, and I wasn't going to waste any time and let her get away. Despite the lack of a romantic proposal, she said YES! I still to this day think she should have her eyes checked, but definitely wont let her see an eye doctor..