The End

"I've been dating since I was fifteen.  
I'm exhausted.  Where is he?!" 
Sex and the City

After years of online dating comprised of countless first dates and two failed relationships, I found myself relating to the above quote all too well.  Towards the end of my dating adventure, I was a member of three different websites.  I kept telling myself that probability and persistence were in my favor.  Without the internet, I knew that with my job and hobbies, Mr. Right would have to find me grocery shopping or literally knock on my front door.  Since I didn't go grocery shopping that often, the internet was my best choice.  But admittedly I was tired.  I was tired of having the same conversations over and over again on first dates that weren't worth seconds.  Where is he????

I met him in 2012 and his name is Chris.  Honestly, I wasn't very enthused about this date.  His profile was short and sweet but some details were left blank.  I also couldn't really tell what he looked liked.  His photos showed him wearing sunglasses, a bike helmet, from the side with sunglasses again, and his back (really?).  His messages were entertaining and with nothing to lose but an evening by myself, I decided to give it a shot.  We met up for drinks one night (after he waved me down since I wasn't too sure who was looking for) and what seemed like just another first date at a bar counter, ended up being my first date with my husband.  Chris was fun... and persistent!  After that night he asked me out the next day.  And the day after that.  And  pretty much every single day so it actually made it hard for me to date other people.  And when I went to Hawaii with friends the following month, he had the most gorgeous exotic flower arrangement waiting in our hotel room.  Man, this guy really likes me.  After that trip, Chris was the only guy I dated.  

during our first date

flowers from Chris

In 2014, a year and a half later, on the morning of my 30th birthday party, he proposed.  While I was getting ready for breakfast he was downstairs scrambling to inflate 100 balloons to cover my family room ceiling.  He had driven to my parents' house days before to 1) ask for their blessing 2) show them the ring and 3) ask for proposal suggestions.  And per suggestion, he was asking me now.  There he was, on his knee beneath a sea of balloons, just the two of us, a few hours before what would turn out to be both my birthday/our engagement party. 

the setting of the proposal 

What's funny is that when he proposed, he was so nervous that he "had to get straight to the question," and everything he planned to say went out the window.  After I said yes, we just hugged each other.  And in true Chris fashion, as he was hugging me he asked, "Are you happy? Are you excited?  Because I'm happy.  I'm excited.  Now let's go get some breakfast.  I'm having breakfast with my fiancé.  I can say that now: fiancé!"

we're engaged!

Several months later after getting my ring resized, Chris secretly picked up the ring from the jeweler and proposed to me again in the kitchen, saying everything he wanted to say the first time.  How many girls get proposed to twice by the same guy?  I'm so lucky.  

Afterwards we spent a year wedding planning and the entire time Chris was involved in the decision making process.  From the venue, to the favors, from the food to the flowers, we visited and decided upon everything together.  That's the thing I love about us.  We're a team.  If he washes dishes, then I dry them.  I make lunches and he makes dinner.  When he's working I do chores and when I'm working I leave him a chore list.  If he finishes early he tells me I better add more things to the list! <-- does="" font="" that="" who="">

a few engagement photos

A year ago today, July 2, 2015, we were married.  For someone who has a hard time making decisions, marrying Chris came so naturally I'm not even sure I would call it a decision.  He is the most kind, generous, silly, and caring person.  While he both agreed that we did not want to write our own vows, our officiant suggested we each privately write a story about how we came to be together; a story that he would read during the ceremony.  

Here is mine:  

My first date with Chris was at a restaurant known for its margaritas so powerful that they have a two drink limit.  I didn't know that as I sucked down my second glass, so admittedly I don't remember much of our conversation.  However, I do remember a group at the bar telling Chris that I looked like a Disney princess, taking a photo of him posing with a Hans Solo cardboard cutout at a candy store, scoring us free taffy with my Disney trivia, and ending the night with both of us falling asleep in a Santana Row business room as Chris rubbed my feet.  It was a fun first date and Chris must have felt the same because he asked me out every day after that.

Two weeks later he asked me to be his girlfriend, but after four years of online dating I learned that it was necessary to date three months before committing in order to weed out the crazies.  So Chris and I continued to go out and have fun and as the weeks went by I got to see how truly thoughtful and caring he was.  When I went to Hawaii with friends the next month he had a gorgeous arrangement of exotic flowers waiting in the hotel room for no reason at all.  When I put my pet rat to sleep, he showed up at my door with flowers and a milkshake to cheer me up.  He made me hot tea with lemon when my throat hurt, lit candles at night for my shower, left notes under my pillow and in my lunch, and drove a stick shift with one hand so the other was free to hold mine.  He came to any gathering or party I invited him to and he always fit right in.

Eventually, everyone who saw us together asked me the same question- why wasn't he my boyfriend? And pretty soon, I didn't have a good answer.  So with just one week shy of my three month rule, I told Chris I was ready to be his girlfriend.  Every day with Chris since our first date has been a happy one.  He makes me laugh until my heart overflows.  Being with him has been so comfortable, so easy, and so natural that when Chris popped the question before my birthday party under a ceiling of balloons, my "yes" was ready and waiting.  I realize there is no such thing as perfect, but there can be wonderful.  And Chris is perfectly wonderful.  I literally dedicated years of my life looking for him and now that I have him, today I dedicate all the rest to keeping him.  

And Chris's: 

Our love story began the way most do: via the world-wide-web! A little over 3 years ago, I finally decided that meeting women at bars or at work wasn’t exactly panning out. So I did what a lot of people do when they’re looking for an answer to a problem… I threw money at it. I signed up for a 6-month membership to Match.com, composed my online profile, made myself sound better than I was, and added a few cool pictures that showed just how awesome and fun I am. In other words, I started Cyber Pimping—or at least that’s what my friends and I called it. And it wasn’t long before Match.Com sent me several emails saying I was very compatible with a particular user named “CheeseLover15.”

My first thought was, “Well, she must really like cheese; this could make for an interesting conversation.” On top of that she was very attractive, and she seemed really fun and adventurous. So I tested the waters and sent her a “wink.” After a bit of chatting, she finally decided that I seemed sane enough to meet in person, so we scheduled our first date. It was amazing. The conversation came easily—it could’ve been the drinks, but I’m going to say it was our great chemistry. We walked through a candy store where I learned that she knows all things Disney, and because of that we landed a bunch of free candy samples from all of the store employees. Time flew by so fast, the restaurant we were planning to eat at was already closed once we finally arrived.

Since our first incredible date, my connection with CheeseLover15 has only grown stronger. I can always count on her encouragement and help no matter the situation, like the time she drilled me with job interview questions on the drive to Hearst Castle and rewarded me with a cookie each time I answered quickly and correctly. And if I’m ever feeling stressed or overwhelmed, she’ll be the first person to put a positive spin on the situation or find the silver lining.

There is a long list of things I love about CheeseLover15 and a long list of reasons why I feel lucky to be standing next to her today. We have shared many experiences together that have made for some crazy, funny, and embarrassing stories. And I couldn’t be more excited to add to those stories as we continue or life together as husband and wife.

Every now and then I say to Chris the same thing I said to him during our first dance as husband and wife- the same thing he said to me when he proposed- 

Are you happy? Are you excited? 

Because I'm happy. 

I'm excited.

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY, CHRIS!  

I hope I never have a reason to blog about dating again!