We met as any modern love story begins... through the Bumble dating app during the height of the pandemic (how romantic).

It was about a week before Thanksgiving and after chatting for some time, I knew I wanted to meet him. It was the holiday season, so I suggested we go shopping for Christmas decorations together at Meijer on a whim since I already happened to be in the Sussex area. Chris happily agreed- only to not hear anything from me for an hour, and I didn't hear from him. Turns out, I lost signal in the store I was shopping at. I felt terrible, apologized several times, and told him I still wanted to meet him. We fell back on the bar idea and met at the Thirsty Duck where we talked until almost two in the morning about everything and anything.

Chris suggested for a second date we meet up at the a coffee shop near my old apartment in Oconomowoc called Roots Cafe. We were going to meet up for an early breakfast before work and the agreement was we going to show up in sweatpants (which, of COURSE I didn't do, I couldn't show up looking like I just rolled out of bed!). Despite his disappointment in my lack of commitment on my end to the sweatpants, we were already planning our third date by the end of the breakfast.

To my dismay, I happened to plan our third date the same day my family had scheduled to have Thanksgiving together on Black Friday; Chris and I were supposed to spend the day shopping together. Realizing my mishap, my mom did not hesitate to extend the dinner invitation to have Chris come over and join us. I remember sweating profusely when I was texting him to invite him over, because, well, you know- meeting my family for the first time over a casual Thanksgiving dinner- no pressure at all, right? ...But somehow, without any hesitation, he said yes (probably because of the ham pickle roll ups my mom promised to make him, but I like to think it was also because of me).

Before I knew it, it felt like my life was starting to meld together with his. The first time Chris referred to me as his girlfriend was when he told me I was going to be flying out to North Carolina with him for the Buckler's wedding - which, again, was done without any kind of hesitation (although he looked like Miller from the TV show New Girl when he danced awkwardly out of the room after I pointed out he called me his girlfriend).

When it was decided the Bruening family wasn't going to get together for Christmas due to COVID concerns and wanting to protect my grandparents, my Aunt Maureen arranged for the entire family to get together out on the lawn of my grandparents' home to sing Christmas carols to them. Without any hesitation, Chris agreed to come. He sat out in the freezing cold through all twelve songs with me, listened to me sing "Feliz Navidad" at the top of my lungs, and laughed as he watched my mom and I dance unapologetically out there on the lawn by ourselves in front of everyone...

...and that's when I knew I loved him. No matter what Chris and I do together, it's time well spent, it's full of laughter and joy, and done to the fullest without any pause or hesitation.

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