Matt and I both knew exactly what we were looking for, each other! LOL In all seriousness, we had both been married once before, had children.... wanted more and were both looking for our forever love. So, we did what all logical people in this decade do...we turned to Bumble to sift through pages and pages of ineligible partners and terrible dates. Now I had a bad run and was FED UP with the online “prospects”. I wasn’t interested in the fake back and forth conversations, I was over trying to be extra nice and go to bad dinners, choking down bad food, just to be uncomfortable and polite to impress another guy that was probably lying anyways. So, I decided to just be unapologetically ME. When I came across Matt's profile, I was immediately attracted to him and wanted to reach out. Bumble provides automated questions you could send the other person to help strike up a conversation. It was 2020 right in the midst of Covid. I was laid off from the pandemic and spending all my time with my girlfriends having far too much fun to give that up for just anyone. Matt had sent a question asking, “what was the oddest thing you’ve done during the pandemic?” Well, it just so happened in that exact moment I was sitting on my best friend’s patio…. painting rocks. Yes, that was the level of boredom we had reached. So here we go people, this is where I told myself I was all in on being me. So, I responded to him and told him I was painting rocks. He seemed amused and inquisitive, so he asked to see a picture. SH**! I looked down at the rocks Justine and I were painting, and they said things like “men are trash”, “Trump 2020”, and some other phrases about hating men. But I did it! I sent the picture! To my surprise he thought it was funny AND we found out we were on the same political team quickly. We continued to banter back and forth for quite a while. Finally, someone who has the same sense of humor as me and can hold a conversation. I had a rule. A guy must be able to hold a conversation with me for 2 weeks before I’d agree to go out on a date. Pro tip ladies, this works! Matt passed this step with flying colors. We had great conversations and knew so much about each other before ever going on a date. Now it was finally time for the first date. Again, I was having far too much fun with my girlfriends to be wasting time on bad dates so I told Matt we could go out and meet up for drinks…. but there was a catch. I was going to bring every one of my girlfriends with me. I’m sure most men would have run by now, but not Matt. He was up for the task. He grabbed one of his buddies and headed out to meet up with me. We had an amazing night, good drinks, dancing, and conversation. My friends loved him and his friend. I couldn’t have asked for a better time. It was one of the best nights of my life and continued to be every night after (since I couldn’t get him to leave ever again ) we never spent a day apart after that first night. And the rest is history. We now have a beautiful family with four kids, two dogs, a cat, and are business partners! I couldn’t have found a better teammate to spend my life with. I can’t wait to see what else our future holds and we accomplish together.

Matt and I talked about marriage very quickly into our relationship. I think we both knew by six months in that we were meant for each other. Fast forward two and half very impatient years, and it finally happened! He popped the question! We went to Nashville for New Years to meet up with my two brothers and one of my best friends who lived there that I hadn't got to see in forever. It was important to Matt to ask for my brothers approval before the proposal. I think they may have gave him a hard time but both absolutely approved! We had went out to Jason Aldean's Bar and were just talking, hanging out with everyone, and having a great time. There was a live band playing. Next thing I know Matt was on the stage with the band and grabbing the mic! He asked me to meet him up on stage and told me in front of hundreds of people how much I meant to him and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him! It couldn't have been a more perfect night celebrating with those closest to us! We left from Nashville the next day to head to Perry, FL where we enjoy our hunt camp together. We celebrated with all of our friends there as well and rung in the New Year together as a newly engaged couple. It was perfect.