Susie and I met online. Susie likes to point out she had to beg me to go on a date! Ha, when she contacted me I was on vacation up north and then spent a week in Waupaca. I did finally reply to which we had a great message exchange. We talked about our love of travel and other things that interest us. Pack up and Go is a company that will book a surprise trip that you don't know about until the day you leave, one of Susie's friends had done this. Susie suggested we do this together! I was intrigued. We made plans to meet for brunch Sunday September 1st Labor Day weekend. Susie was easy to impress, she appreciated I picked a restaurant and made reservations.

The night before we met, Susie called me. Why was she calling? What if we talk about everything and have nothing to talk about tomorrow? Begrudgingly I answered. Her voice instantly made me glad I did. I can't explain it but Susie has a voice that I instantly found comforting. Susie starts telling me about how she is on her way to go duck sitting, yes duck sitting. The dentist she works for was raising baby ducks and Susie was on her way to put them in their coop for the night. It was dark by now and she was a little nervous. I was so glad she called so we could talk and I could not wait to meet in person!

The next day I picked her up and we went to Stillwater to a restaurant called Feller. We had a great brunch and talked non stop. Susie is very easy to talk to and made me feel important. I think normally on a first date the conversation is pretty superficial but ours was not. She made me feel at ease to share things I would only have shared with people I am really close to. We talked about so many things like travel, kids, what we were looking for and the non negotiables of a relationship. We were very aligned on what we wanted. At one point she asked me why I was looking at her funny. I was almost looking through her to see her thoughts, I kept thinking how is this possible, how do we share so many things, how do we share so many outlooks on life and family? I was wonderstruck! We did not really have a time set for our date to end but it was cut short by my phone ringing several times. I finally had to ask to be excused because my kids have called several times. I called them back and was asked why I was at a hotel in Stillwater? LOL, the restaurant was in a hotel, can't get away with anything! Susie and I wrapped up and agreed to see each other again the next day.

We met again on Monday for a movie and continued our chemistry, it was as if we had known each other forever. We watched the Clint Eastwood movie The Mule which was good. In the movie there was a conversation with his dying wife where they say to each other that they "love each other more than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow," We really liked that and both agreed that’s how a relationship should be. After our second day together we began discussing schedules about when we could see each other again.

We continued to get together when we could and by two weeks I asked her if she wanted to go to Appleton and Green Bay for the Packer Viking game. By this time I was completely smitten with her and felt like she was the one. When we were back in Appleton I introduced her to some of my Appleton friends.

A few more weeks passed and then we introduced ourselves to each others kids and finally had them all meet each other. Things moved fast but to us it felt like we had known eachother forever. In 5 years we have been through so much together. Karver has had two open heart surgeries, a global pandemic, blending as a family, Cameron's high school graduation and leaving for college, selling two houses, buying a home and moving in together. Through all this, even when its been hard we have maintained the belief we are "better together" and hanging over our bed are the words "love your more than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow."