The Beginning

On a cold night on December 29th of 2018, Jason sat at a friend’s house keeping warm with a few friends and some drinks by fireside. Meanwhile in Youngstown, Sarah’s friend Britney was on a mission. After Britney lured Sarah out of the house with promises of looking at Christmas lights, Sarah and Britney ended up at a restaurant where her friend was intent on finding Sarah a new man. The search was not going well as the pickings were slim that night, until Britney boldly approached a random man at the bar and asked, “What is wrong with my friend?” as she pointed to where Sarah was seated and showed the man Sarah’s newly purchased online dating profile. The stranger at the bar just happened to be Jason’s longtime friend. The man at the bar paused and said to Britney “I might know just the right person for your friend. The two exchanged their friends phone numbers and encouraged their friends to text each other.

Sarah and Jason hesitantly began communicating with several text messages and the conversation flowed almost naturally. After an hour or two of texting Jason decided the two should meet. The two agreed to meet at a restaurant with friends. However, this did not go exactly as planned. At the restaurant, Sarah ended up going solo, and a few more of Jason’s friends showed than intended. Regardless, Sarah was undaunted. She fit in like a piece of a puzzle, trading witty remarks with all. Despite Jason and crew showing up late and without a reservation, Sarah returned to the table after receiving the “rescue call” from Britney and stayed for the remainder of the evening. She later thanked Jason’s friend for bringing his “cute friend” instead of the “funny looking guy with chicken legs in the picture” which he shared the night before. Jason’s friend did not choose a flattering photograph to show Sarah, as he WAS the guy in the picture with “chicken legs.”

Subsequently, the two agreed to an actual date where they would have some one-on-one time. For this the two agreed on meeting at a winery for dinner and drinks on New Year’s Eve. Things seemed uneventful until Jason unintentionally invited himself to watch the Rose Bowl at Sarah’s sister’s house under the impression it had already been set up by his friend who Sarah met in the restaurant. This would set up a very awkward meeting with her family. Jason ended up meeting Sarah’s parents and multiple other family members only three days after they met each other. Awkward as it may have been, things just seemed to click, and their relationship grew.

The Proposal

Fast forward about three years. Jason has decided Sarah is his forever person and that Sarah likely felt the same. He bought a ring, had a nervous conversation with her parents, and proposed on March 2nd 2022. He did not want just any generic proposal. Jason carefully chose the time, place, and the words to ask Sarah to marry him. Unfortunately, things didn’t end up quite as perfect as planned. It happened to fall on Ash Wednesday. At this time of year, the weather can be quite unpredictable. As the forecast called for mild, clear weather, this did not quite hit the mark. It was in the mid-40s, cloudy, with light drizzle. This did not deter Jason from proceeding with his plan of proposing in the park by the lake. Jason asked Sarah to take a walk in the park which didn’t exactly amuse her. When Jason persisted, Sarah told him “Go by yourself if you want to take a walk so bad.” Eventually Jason convinced Sarah to go to the park, wearing his hoodie which was about two sizes too big, a puffy winter coat, and ashes on her forehead. As they walked through the park Jason decided to walk down an unusual path, which Sarah knew did not have any outlet. She protested that it was a dead-end but reluctantly headed down the path. As they approached the end of the path on the lake, she defiantly turned around to say “I told you so,” only to find Jason on one knee with a ring box in hand. Unfortunately, the box was turned the wrong way which took him a while to realize as he delivered his well-rehearsed proposal. After he turned the box to face Sarah and finished his speech, Sarah responded with an emphatic “YES.” Sarah soon realized after they asked some others in the park to take photos of the occasion, her appearance wasn’t exactly as she had anticipated for that special moment. She claimed she looked “homeless” with the ashes and coats. Despite the deviations from the plan, it was still a “picture perfect” moment in their relationship.

Our Love

Sarah and Jason enjoy many of the same activities and share many of the same views which helps fuel their happiness. From outdoor activities like hiking and biking, to their tastes in entertainment like cheesy movies and 90s pop music. Although they realize that life isn’t always easy, and they are two individuals with distinct personalities, their world is infused with so much shared happiness. They are thankful for their friends and family and look forward to the life they will continue to build together with them. Awkward, unplanned, and imperfect have been staples of their relationship, and it works. Through the years they realized that life isn’t perfect, but their love is.

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