Flash back to July 2018. A few weeks prior to our first date, Connor and I matched on the dating app Tinder. That summer, I was staying in Bowling Green and I went home for the weekend to go to the Indians game with my dad. It was a Friday evening, July 13th to be exact, I was on my way home from BG, I stopped at my moms work to get dinner with her. While I was waiting for her to finish up her work, I was swiping through Tinder and I came across this cute guy that played college baseball (totally my type). I obviously swiped right and it was a match! In the past, I never took dating apps seriously, I never actually met someone from a dating app in-person. I figured we would chat for awhile and then it would fizzle out. Well I was very wrong. After that weekend, I went back to BG to finish up my summer course excited to come back home 3 weeks later for a few weeks before my fall semester started. During those 3 weeks from when we first matched to when I came back Connor and I talked everyday. On August 7th, 2018 I agreed to go on a date with this stranger. I remember being so nervous chatting with my mom in the kitchen. The doorbell rang and my nerves went through the roof. I remember seeing Connor for the first time he gave me a hug and then he gave my mom a hug (she loved that). My mom asked where we were going and he said Jekyll’s in Chagrin Falls. My moms reaction was priceless, she said “wow that’s a nice restaurant, Laura you may want to wear something nicer” ( i was wearing a burnt orange flowy blouse with ripped jeans). Connor ensured what I was wearing was more than fine and we were off. Hands down that was the best first date I have ever been on. The conversations felt so natural and it was like talking to someone I knew for years. I will always remember that day. We went on two more dates before he went back to school at the University of New Orleans. I remember thinking to myself on our second date “this is the man I am going to marry”. After our last date I was sad that he had to go back to Louisiana. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, thinking he would probably forget about me once he was back at school. I was very wrong! On my last first day of college, I remember coming home from class to a flower delivery, a guy never bought me flowers let alone sent them to me states away! We talked everyday and my favorite part of us getting to know each other was that Connor starting writing me letters and sending them in the mail. Everyday for the next 5 months I was so eager to run to my mailbox to see if I got a letter from Connor! On December 9th, 2018 I was sitting in my college living room with all my friends and I see Connor walk through the door with flowers. He drove 14 hours up to Bowling Green from New Orleans to surprise me. From that moment I knew he was my person.

A month prior, Connor asked if we could spend the day together on March 6th. He wanted to go to church, walk around Chagrin Falls, then go to dinner. I didn’t think too much about it since he usually plans dates and it was the weekend after he finished paramedic school so I thought it was a day to celebrate. Mind you the week leading up to our engagement; Connor took his paramedic final, graduated paramedic school, took his practical, and the national registry. Talk about a lot of stress! The Friday before he was kinda on edge (I don’t blame him a lot happened that week lol) The morning of the 6th, we woke up and started getting ready for church. During church, now looking back he was very jittery and could not sit still. After church we started driving towards Chagrin Falls (where we had our first date). We arrived at Chagrin and Connor went in his back seat to get his winter vest *red flag*. I made a comment saying, "it’s 60 degrees why are you wearing a vest". He played it off saying he was cold (the ring was In there). We went to a coffee shop to get coffee, Connor was agitated that it was taking a bit to order but I assured him we had nothing to do and we can wait 10 minutes for our coffee. Little did I know he was on a time frame with the photographer. No wonder why he was agitated! We walked out of the coffee shop and towards the “plan C” spot. Apparently the week prior Connor and the photographer met in Chagrin and came up with 3 spots; plan A, plan B, Plan C. The photographer texted Connor that “plan C” was a go. We were looking over the water and Connor was making small talk and then he started talking about our relationship, reached in his pocket and asked me to marry him. *Cue the tears* That was the easiest yes! After the shock and the tears, Connor said “oh yeah we aren’t going to dinner tonight our families are at my parents we are having an engagement party” I quickly asked, “are my grandmas going to be there” Connor said of course the grandmas are there. I started to cry because he knows how important my grandmas are to me. When we arrived to Connor’s parents house, We both got a surprise. Connor’s sister Brady and her fiancé Luke, flew up from Alabama to surprise us both. Having our families there to celebrate was so special to me. March 6th was such a special day. I got to say yes to forever with Connor at the place where it all began and having the chance to celebrate with both of our families will be something I will always remember.