Alanna was drawn to Oleksandr’s online dating profile because he is a Christian and a massage therapist. He wrote to her first and right away, our conversations were more serious, about faith, family, and lively debates, especially when it came to the lymphatic system, gua sha, and psychology. But those disagreements only deepened our connection.

After about a week of talking, Oleksandr really wanted to meet in person. Alanna was surprised — she thought he might have found her too argumentative! But Oleksandr felt something different: curiosity, warmth, and the sense that maybe… this could be something great

Our first date felt like a reunion of old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. For Oleksandr, it was as if time stood still — the connection was instant. For Alanna, it was his joy, depth, and openness that stood out. Even with a language barrier, she felt seen and understood.

From the very beginning, we were honest about what we were looking for. We talked about values, dreams, and commitment, That honesty became the foundation of our relationship

Soon after, we faced one of our first big adventures together — a road trip to Arizona. Long hours in the car, new places, unexpected challenges — and through it all, we laughed, Alanna cried and Oleksandr supported her and we found that we make a great team. That trip showed us we could handle distance, obstacles, and change — as long as we faced them together.

Our story isn’t built on perfection. It’s built on trust, resilience, shared faith, and the decision to be there for each other. We’ve learned to listen, to grow, and to carry both the joy and the work of love — side by side. (Alanna discovered what pedantic means 😉)