August 2020:

It’s hard to imagine that this love story all started from a dating app! Thanks, Hinge!

We messaged back and forth for a bit, and then set up a socially distanced-date, this was 2020 after all! On a gorgeous, sunny California day, we cruised on our bikes from Encinitas to Seagrove park in Del Mar. Jonathan brought snacks and a picnic blanket to sit on. Jonathan spilt the vegan cheese in the grass, Sonja ate it anyways. We continued to snack and chat for hours and then pedal back up the coast into the sunset, full of thoughts:

Sonja: I remember feeling so comfortable around this giant man. I could tell that he was genuine, sweet, thoughtful, and he had his shit together. That last part seemed to be a true rarity in twenty-something year old men.

Jonathan: I remember huffing wind trying to keep up with this cute rosy-cheeked, sun-kissed beauty that kept gaining distance in front of me. Mildly afraid that she might make a sharp turn and flee, when I just wanted a date! Once we made it to the bluff in Del Mar I was relieved that she was willing to share a blanket and snacks with me. We hit it off right away and I was already envisioning future dates!

The next few dates included more bike rides, exploring sunset cliffs, beach hangs, and a zoo trip. We were hooked on spending time with each other.

In October, about 6 weeks after we met, we headed out on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. This was the first of many outdoor adventures that we would get into together. We hiked up and down the Grand Canyon in a day, stayed in an eclectically painted trailer named Janice, and camped in the desert. Does it get any better than that? On our drive home, on Route 66, the late summer golden hour sun hit Jonathan’s face and that’s when Sonja knew she was in deep, and tripping, falling, and diving into love with this man.

In December 2021, Sonja moved in with Jonathan into the tropical backyard studio in Point Loma. One of the things we said to each other a lot after we moved in together was “I didn’t expect things to be so easy.” In October 2023, we moved into a (smaller) studio in the heart of Ocean Beach! We were in the middle of the action. The beach was right outside our window, and so were the OB hippies! There was never a dull moment in that place, and we enjoyed our time spent walking on the reef, eating at OB Noodle House, and studying at Template. We also were finally in a place that allowed pets. We welcomed 8 week old puppy Lyla into our home, and she brought so much joy and late night potty walks, into our lives!

The summer of 2024 was an absolute whirlwind for us. We started bouncing around the idea of buying a house. In July, we went to a few open houses, and we got approved to buy the first house we put an offer on. The sellers wanted a 3 week escrow, so it was time to kick our butts into gear. Jonathan proposed in front of our future house on a Monday, and we were married on that Friday. Our friends and family came together in record time for our court house wedding and celebration. We moved into our house on August 12, 2024. We have loved settling into our house, and hosting get togethers with our friends and families.

Our marriage has truly brought two families together. Sonja loves being a part of the Miller clan, and has enjoyed gaining another set of parents, sisters, and being an aunt! Jonathan has blended seamlessly into Sonja’s family. We are so lucky to have such a loving and supporting group of people around us to support and encourage our relationship.

We are looking forward to celebrating our wedding, round 2, with all of you!

Travel

Travel coming soon!