Neither of them expected to find each other online, but when they connected and then started texting almost every day and night, they couldn't help but think there was something different. After about a month (and her nearly goofing it up by suggesting what the internet said was a coffee shop, but was in fact a coffee supply store), they chose the next best option for coffee: Panera! He waited for a moment in his new truck for the goofy woman who would come into the parking lot blasting, of all things, Prince.

Though not the first time they met in person, from her point of view, this day, a few weeks after talking at Panera, was the first actual date because she started having feelings for him. He begs to differ and says Panera counts as the first date because they chatted for five hours straight. Either way, it was a super enjoyable long day of large ships, tasty snowballs, him winning mini golf (because of course he did, having played golf in high school), and a long, relaxing drive down some windy backroads, navigating some nasty thunderstorms along the way. An absolutely perfect day.

They spent his birthday, and most of the weekend together, heading up to Ladew Topiary Gardens where she snapped one of her favorite pics: him contemplating life in front of a bush shaped like Buddha. They ventured up to Rocks State Park that day, finding what would become one of their favorite spots, the King and Queen Seats. Late that Saturday night, they went to Bengie's for a movie, relaxing in the bed of his truck while watching Bad Guys, and then sharing their first kiss.

After a memorable first night at Deep Creek Lake, surviving freezing temperatures and deflating air mattresses, they made some amazing memories. The rest of the weekend was filled with great hikes, beautiful waterfalls at Swallow Falls State Park, and the colorful autumnal leaves as an ever present backdrop. They may not have said "I love you" yet, but it followed soon after this adventure and they haven't looked back since.

Travelling to three different houses for their first Thanksgiving together was a lot of long backroad stretches, multiple plates full of turkey and taters, and so many introductions, smiles, and laughs all around the table. The good times just kept rolling, like them on the road, and equally as much after all the delicious food. They definitely gobbled til' we wobbled.

After seeing the second blue people movie (aka Avatar 2), they hiked again to their newfound spot at Rocks State Park, marking her birthday by trekking to the gorgeous cliffside just as they had his. One could say she is his rock and he is hers. Oh, and he surprised her by taking her go-karting where she ran into the wall numerous times, loving every minute of it. Such a memorable escapade, followed the next day by ringing in their first New Year's Eve together, midnight kiss and all.

They couldn't have planned their engagement weekend better if they'd tried: taking the actual leap on Leap Day itself. Recreating a bunch of things from their first date: mini golf, good food, a long drive, and a ship, aptly named Union, was docked in the Inner Harbor for them to explore. They went to another memorable spot where he got down on one knee and proposed, after which she did the same because why not? Only after the fact did they find out that it was apparently a tradition for women to propose to men on Leap Day, a new tradition circumventing an old one.