IT'S TIME TO PARTY!!

In an online dating world where finding the right partner can seem improbable, sometimes things work out better than one can imagine. "High hopes, low expectations" could be used as a descriptor in that space. We can assure you this is a success story though, in case reading a section titled "How We Met" on a wedding website isn't evidence enough. Early 2020 saw both of us wading through that seemingly limitless online dating world. Between apps teeming with profiles, left or right swipes, and first messages that may or may not garner a response, somehow Josh asking Jenna to "define good beer" was the winner of her inbox. Even Hemingway himself might not have been able to top that one. Jenna responded by explaining that her exquisite tastes were only fulfilled by high end beer, like Bud Light or Michelob Ultra. We discovered a shared bond over country music and sports, but also that Jenna is very particular about her seafood after a terrible incident in Portland one recent vacation. There was enough common ground to move towards a first date, the only time in two plus years that Jenna has beaten Josh at bowling. Parkside Lanes in Greensburg, IN was the official first date spot. Josh maintains to this day that he knew there was something different about Jenna the second he walked in, while Jenna was hoping her friends that hinted at showing up to "keep an eye on things" didn't actually walk through the door. Bowling and conversation led to chips/margaritas at El Reparo before Josh headed back to the big city. Looking back it never felt like a first date, more like we had known each other for years. We managed to squeeze in two more dates after our first, with the Covid quarantine announcement coming on a Sunday afternoon while eating dinner at Quaker Steak and Lube. That was our last time out before dating became very different from the norm, as we spent lots of time back and forth between Cincinnati and Batesville just hanging around our houses. Timing has a way of working for the best when least expected, and that's exactly what happened for us. Quarantine dating accelerated our learning about who the other person was at their core. It removed the superficial barriers that sometimes keep meaningful relationships from forming early on when you first meet someone. Looking back neither of us would change a thing, because the only certainty to come from all the unknown at that time was both of us had found our person. Life has gone back to the new normal for the most part, with a few ups and downs mixed in. We took the next step for us in September of 2022 at Rocky Mountain National Park when Jenna said yes to Josh's proposal. From there we head to Utah in 2023 for a small, private wedding ceremony, with a reception back home to celebrate a few short weeks later. We could not be more excited to have the amazing group of people we are blessed to call friends and family with us for our reception.