I had been using the dating app Hinge for some time before meeting Samantha. After many months of “Hinging and Cringing” with many bad dates under my belt, I decided to take a hiatus. I did something rather odd. I decided I would like one more profile before taking a break. I must’ve swiped through a hundred if not more before seeing Sam. I was quickly drawn in by the authenticity and humor in her profile. She messaged me shortly after I liked her profile, and we immediately started playfully arguing about Mario Kart. The conversation flowed naturally with a healthy amount of sarcasm and quick wit from both of us.

When we first met, I was working at a very stressful private practice as my first job in psychiatry out of school. Unfortunately, I saw patients before my first date with Sam and things ran over. I was running a bit late to our first date, so I quickly parked in a 30 minute parking zone. Unfortunately, this made me quite anxious throughout the duration of the date because I was worried my car would get towed. Luckily for me, Sam found my first date anxiety endearing because she was also quite anxious. Despite the anxiety, our conversation in person flowed even easier than over text.

We started the date with normal pleasantries but quickly dropped the ruse. I joked that first dates are essentially who can “out bullshit the other,” because people are generally very closed off and trying to look their best on a first date. Once the ice had been broken and that first date veil had dropped, we quickly started talking about religion, politics, hopes, dreams, etc. I learned more about Sam on our first date than I probably learned about others five dates in. We joked and laughed about our initial anxieties and jointly discussed how rough first dates are. I admitted the anxiety surrounding my car, and Sam was nice enough to let me leave the date early to avoid being towed. She even walked me back to my car and gave me a birthday card because it was my birthday in two days. That small act of kindness really showed me who Sam was, and, when people show you who they are, what they are, believe them.

Now, two pets, two surgeries, two moves, and over two years later, the two of us are still going strong with a lifetime ahead of us. We’ve grown, we’ve changed, and we’ve matured into better versions of ourselves, but at our core we’re still the same. Sam showed me what kind of person she was on our first date, and, though we may mature as we grow older, the kindness at her core will never change. She has continuously shown me who she is, what kind of person she is, and I will always believe her and believe in her. I’ve come to realize that getting married will likely change our relationship very little because it is just another day with a lifetime ahead. However, I hope that we can both stand strong against the ups, downs, and unforeseen things that will lie ahead.

I had virtually sworn off the dating game shortly before I met Austin. In a world of uncertainty, it’s so hard to open up to and trust people, especially when it comes to relationships. I remember joking around with my friends saying “Can’t I just skip to the part where I love someone, they love me, and everything is fine?!” Little did I know, that was exactly what was about to happen.

Austin and I met on Hinge, and he was one of the very first people I went on a real date with after meeting online. I was instantly drawn to his quirky demeanor, sense of humor, and refreshingly positive approach to everyday life. He was willing to talk about anything and everything, including my hobbies and interests that he knew nothing about. He blew me away with his candid interest in building a relationship from the ground up, and the recognition that creating a successful long-term relationship takes work and dedication. Before I knew it, I was falling for him. And luckily for me, the feeling was mutual.

I never believed that people could fall in love like they do in the movies, or books, or Taylor Swift songs, but I wake up and find myself in one everyday. He makes me feel beautiful, and special, and worthy of the life that we’ve built for ourselves and one another. I see it every time he brings me coffee in the morning, every time he listens to me rant about school, work, life, and everything in between. I see it in every good morning/good night text, every date night, every lazy day at home, and every day we spend running around doing errands. On that first date two years ago, he told me “keep talking to whoever you’d like, I’m confident I’ll be your best option.” And he was right.

I love you, Austin McClintic. We’ve been through so much craziness already, and I have no doubt we’ll be ready to handle whatever comes next. Thank you for trusting me to spend this life with you, and I will be honored to call you my husband.