Brendan and I have known each other since high school. He was two grades above me, but we had the same Spanish class. All I remember is him being the class clown and getting kicked out of class for saying something that made everyone laugh. We didn’t become close friends until after high school.

Brendan is not only charming and handsome, but also incredibly persistent. He might deny this, but he pursued me on and off for about two years before our first date. And believe it or not, I asked him out for our first date!!! I thought to myself, “Well why not ?! I’ll never know if I don’t try.”

I know wholeheartedly I started falling for Brendan that very first date. It was the most fun I ever had, and I didn’t allow myself to believe it for a long while. I told myself that we were just having fun, but from one date to the next, I couldn’t wait to see him. He very quickly became my best friend, then my boyfriend. And ultimately, the love of my life.

We may have had a small 5-month hiatus to our relationship —a time where I delved into self discovery and transformation — but it was the best thing to happen to us. During this time, I had one of my biggest epiphanies. And that was not being able to picture my life and future without Brendan Elliott Clarke.

I say this all the time, but Brendan makes me feel like I’m on top of the world and undeniably safe all at once. He is everything I ever pictured in a man, a husband and father to my children. He is my home. And to think I couldn’t love him any more than I already do, I have had the honor of watching him be the best “dada” to our daughter Daisy.

Klaudia and I first crossed paths my junior year of high school, we had the same Spanish class. After that, we didn’t have any more classes together, but I would notice her every once in awhile in the hallways in between classes, but I never had a chance to really get to know her.

Fast forward a few years later, I see that Klaudia has moved back to our hometown after finishing school to get her degree, and figured I would shoot my shot and ask her out. She, of course, plays hard to get and says no. I asked a few more times, trying to work my charm, but still no luck. Until one day she randomly messages me, and asks me to go out on our first date, to the casino. Early into the night I could tell, this was the girl for me. She had me smiling and laughing like I hadn’t done in a long time. I felt an instant connection and was comfortable enough to be myself right from the start.

A few months into our relationship, we took a little “break” to do some soul searching. The whole time though, Klaudia was on my mind. Eventually everything worked out the way it was supposed to, and I ended up with the love of my life. Klaudia has shown me a happiness I didn’t think was possible, and she has given me a life I had only dreamed of. She is strong, smart, confident, independent, funny, caring, the list is endless. She is the best mom to our daughter, Daisy, and is going to be the best wife. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her, and see what the rest of this crazy life brings us.