In late June 2020, after the constant urging of my friend Gaith to try online dating, I finally felt courageous enough to try it. I found Minneapolis Singles (MS) and decided to join. On Saturday, July 25, 2020, I was on a "COVID Catch-Up" Zoom call with my AKA Sorority Sisters (Tina, Nicole and Sylvia). I shared my screen, logged into the MS website and asked for their help because I wasn't having the best luck finding a good match. The men were either much older, lived 60 miles away, not my type or were too short for my barefoot height of 5'9". I said, in frustration, "Where are all of the 6'5" men!!??" With a lack of enthusiasm, I half-heartedly, and quickly, scrolled through the potentials. All of sudden, I heard Tina say, "Wait...wait...wait...go back up!" I scrolled back up and Tina said, "Click on him: Hans Hansen." I clicked on him and we all took a section of his profile to read and then I heard Tina exclaim, "YOLANDA...HE IS SIX FEET, EIGHT INCHES TALL!!" I was like..."OMG...SHUT UP...ARE YOU SERIOUS??" I read his thoughtful profile and was captivated by his charming pictures and adorable smile. I sent him a "wink" and he "winked back" and our first, 2-hour conversation was on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. Before we hung up, Hans was the first, and only, person from MS to ask, "Can I call you tomorrow?" After 6 additional hours of phone calls that first week, we met in person on Saturday, August 1, 2020, at Lake of the Isles Park, for a lovely stroll that kicked-off our 10-hour first date and the rest, as they say, is history and here we are 2 years and 3 months later!!!

In October 2020, after 2 months of dating, Hans asked me, "What do you want out of this relationship? Is this just casual dating to you?" I took a big gulp and said, "No, this is not casual to me at all. I......want to be.....your wife." He said, "OK, good, I just want to make sure we're on the same page." On Wednesday, July 28, 2021, for our 1-Year dating anniversary, I made reservations at this new restaurant called Baldamar in Roseville, MN. (NOTE: I was not expecting a proposal that night because I didn't want to get my face "cracked" from embarrassment from waiting for a proposal that didn't happen. Also, the only thing Hans had in his hands was a card. No box. No gift bag, etc.) So, I gave him his gift, he gave me his beautiful card and I went back to eating my salad. After exchanging some pleasantries, Hans asked me if I was ok being stuck with him. I said, "Of course babe, we're stuck with each other forever." He then said, "No, I mean officially?" That's when he reached into his inside coat pocket, pulled out the ring and said, "Will you marry me?" I screamed -- OUTLOUD IN THE RESTAURANT -- and was in a state of shock!! I held out my hand for him to "put a ring on it" and then said "Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!"