I met Jackie at a house concert during my sophomore year in college at New Paltz. She was sitting on a couch with her friends and the moment I saw her I fell instantly head over heels. She was stunningly beautiful and I could tell there was something different about her. We spoke briefly and I lent her my sweater when she was cold. I got her first name, but nothing else.

For the next two months I tried to find her on campus or Facebook, with no luck. I spelled her first name into the search bar every way I knew how, but with no last name to go off of I couldn’t find her. “Jacqueline.. Jackie.. Jaclyn.. Jacquelin..” - No luck. Jackie’s family lived close by and she had an apartment off campus, so I never saw her walking to class. After months of effort I complained to a friend, who happened to know her last name; I’d found her!

Jacquelyn Woods.

I asked her on a date and she agreed to meet for coffee. I didn’t drink coffee, so I had no idea what to order.

“I’ll have what she’s having.” I felt nervous and shaky, but I couldn’t tell if it was the caffeine or my own nerves. After two months of trying to find her - my dream girl was sitting in front of me. We talked for hours that went by as if they were seconds. Over the remainder of the semester we continued to talk and hang out.

But there was a problem: I was transferring out of New Paltz to move into the Computer Science program at SUNY Albany. I don’t think I had a car at the time, and it was going to be challenging academically.

I had to break the news to Jackie. I think she was rightfully confused, since I had reached out to her knowing I would be leaving. I didn’t have an answer. All I knew was that I was smitten by her, and I wanted to spend any time with her that I could.

We agreed to end things. I had to let her go. It felt like a movie, but all l I could think was - “I’m never going to see this girl again.”

Years passed. I would visit my friends at New Paltz from time to time. Every time I’d visit, I’d text Jackie to see if she wanted to get coffee. She spent a lot of time at home on weekends with her family, so she was rarely around. Finally, in the winter of senior year, we were in the same place at the same time. We made a plan to meet up, but Jackie was nervous and she almost stood me up in favor of a scary movie and nachos. Her best friend Dee came over and demanded that she change out of her PJs and take a chance on me.

We met up at a local New Paltz bar, and the moment I saw her I felt the same butterflies I had years ago at the house concert. We hugged and felt the same connection we had before. We hung out all night, as if nothing had changed.

That night I walked her back to her apartment. She ran ahead giggling to her door, making me chase after her. I caught up and she was illuminated by the streetlight, standing under a snowy tree; she couldn’t have looked more beautiful.

As I leaned in to kiss her, she pulled the branch above me and drenched me in snow. She giggled at my expense- I was in utter shock, and completely in love.

When I went back to UAlbany, I told my roommate Lawrence (my best man) that I was going to do whatever it took to date this girl. This was my only chance, and I knew I wasn’t going to get another. I took my car to see her on weekends. I met her lovely family. We watched each other graduate.

Five years later we bought a house together and I asked her to be my wife. I’m incredibly grateful to say every day with her has been an adventure, and she’s my best friend.

I sincerely appreciate everyone who took the time to read this. Like any great love story, ours had a lot of twists and turns. It’s a story of taking chances, and frankly moments of complete luck. I’m incredibly grateful for the friends and family that helped us find each other. And I’m incredibly lucky that the girl I met at the house concert, the girl who dumped snow on my head, the girl who’s name I couldn’t spell - will be my wife forever.