If you ask Joe…

After the passing of my ride-or-die dog, Rosie Rosertain, life at home grew quiet. For over a year, conversations felt scarce and the days a little dull. After talking with some great friends, they encouraged me to get back out into the world and have real conversations again. Post-COVID, with so many old norms changed, I found myself wondering: what was the best way to meet people?

I tried several dating sites—OKCupid, eHarmony, and Match.com—but none of them led anywhere. I told myself I would give Match.com one final try, and if that didn’t work, I’d get a new pet. Thankfully, fate had other plans. This cute woman liked my profile, and that’s when the magic began.

Our first meeting was on a Sunday at Starbucks. I remember seeing this gorgeous woman walk toward me, the sun glowing behind her, making her look like an angel. In that moment, she stole my heart, and our love story began.

Since then we have had many adventures good and bad. From all the adventures I have learned there is no better person to go through this journey with than Noel! I will love her with all my heart for the rest of my days!

If you ask Noel…

One day in September 2022, I caught myself thinking, “One more try. I’ll give online dating one more go and we’ll see what happens.” Soon after setting up my profile, I got matched with a guy named Joe.

What struck me first about him was his smile. It was genuine and kind. After exchanging messages for a couple of weeks, we met up for coffee. I needed to see if this guy was for real.

We only had 75 minutes (while the kiddo was at Royal Rangers), but it was enough. On October 2, 2022, we met at a Starbucks. As I left, I sent my best friend a text: “The chai was good and the company even better. Nice guy and easy to chat with. More to come.”

Two weeks later, in the middle of a complete downpour, we had our first official date—dinner and a comedy club show, followed by Starbucks and conversation that lasted until the early morning hours. I left tired and giddy. This guy.

He really was genuine.

He really was kind.

He was exactly the kind of steady, thoughtful presence my heart had been quietly hoping for. He stepped into my chaos and didn’t leave.

What makes a great love story? Two people who find each other and live happily ever after?

We disagree. A great love story is two people who find each other—and then choose each other every day. In the joy and the sorrow, in the laughter and the stress, in the mundane and in the adventure. It’s choosing one another when life feels like a fairytale and when it feels more like the Fire Swamp or the Pit of Despair.

Along the way, there may be cliffs to climb, masks to remove, and battles to fight—but always side by side. It may sound inconceivable, but it’s wonderfully true: we’ve discovered that life is simply better together, especially when we face it with courage, humor, and a little bit of true love. After all, true love isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence.

Above all, we are deeply thankful that God brought us together and remains at the center of our relationship—our constant guide, our steady anchor, and the author of our story. With faith, commitment, and love, we’re ready for whatever adventure comes next.