It all started with hello. Years ago I switched my daughters school to be in West Brookfield, Craig was working outside taking care of traffic for school drop off. It was a simple wave and a hello, that was it, no big deal... or so I thought. Fast forward, as he does with almost everyone, he started waving to me whenever our paths would cross. For me, I thought wow he's friendly. He would often have to show up to calls at my work when I would need to send a patient out emergently, then there was a facebook invite. There was a casual message here or there, friendly conversation, there was never any indication there was some weak attempt at flirting going on there, and truthfully I was too naive to pick up on it anyways.

Life took us both in different directions, we remained those strangers who would smile, wave and carry on with our day. Then one day a memory popped up in his pictures, it was one he sent me a little over two years prior of him parking in our employee of the month parking space (rebel). But this time something different happened, those messages started to give me this feeling of "what if" then the internal battle "there's no way he is flirting" (seriously he was that bad at it but I was also bad at picking it up). So as most women would, I began the social media investigation, I landed in this rabbit hole that confused me even more. Next thing you know every time after that, he would show up for a 911 call to my job, I became awkward (like really awkward, he's a cop he probably has some weird way of knowing I literally searched his social history up and down to the last second I remained in it), I would stumble through my report of what was going on, he would step closer... I would leave the room, practically run from it. He had me nervous, in a good way, something I didn't think I could feel. Then... as if all my free will had been taken from me, his Uncle Bunky was admitted to my floor, so as you can imagine I started to see him more. My heart screaming thank you, my nerves screaming oh crap.

And so it starts....

Next thing I know, an incoming of more messages starts. Confident as ever I would reply back, (in the most non apparent I am melting way possible), then the increase in casual encounters outside of emergency calls while on duty had started. Confidence.. well that jumped out the window when it came time for me to actually converse in person with him. I would start fidgeting with papers, turn bright red, lose my train of thought, you name it.... I was a hot mess. Then one day I received a message asking if I wanted anything from dunkin donuts, I said no thank you (I am not one to accept gifts or things in general) then my coworkers noticing I was flushed in the face asked me what happened, when I told them I was quickly scolded and told to respond back yes, so I did, I asked for the most simple thing I could think of, I don't drink coffee so I asked him for a small strawberry dragonfruit refresher. So start the nerves, the butterflies, the panic... all the feels. Moments later as I am talking with another employee he shows up with the refresher and casually puts it in front of me. Knowing I was in the middle of something, he went to visit his Uncle. Me still in panic mode sees him coming back around to the nurses station, I quickly start organizing (anyone who works with me can tell you I was a tornado with paperwork but it was my tornado so it was ok), losing all knowledge of the English language or how to start a conversation I simply said thank you have a good day. (what an idiot). I turned to my coworkers after he left and said "wtf is wrong with me?" all of them started pushing me to "shoot my shot".... so I panic (again) pick up my phone and started typing (if he was trying to flirt you would figure he already would have given me his number by now) I apologized (internally to myself for being such an idiot) for being busy but that I appreciated the refresher and it was nice of him.

Then started more conversation and that day he gave me his phone number, I quickly gave him mine so I wouldn't become a chicken and just not call him because I was nervous. Now we were talking almost daily. On his birthday, he was out with his friend and ended up inviting me. Unfortunately I had to pass but openly welcomed a raincheck, which he did not hesitate to offer. Only two days later we were going on our first date, and it would be the last first date we would ever have without each other. I would like to tell you it was nothing short of perfect but as we sat down to eat I all of a sudden started sneezing, eyes watering, having to blow my nose every 5 minutes, coughing like I was ready to kick the bucket at any moment. In my head I am convinced... this is it, he's never going to talk to me again. We ended up going for a ride after dinner, where I was miraculously fine all of a sudden, and then, when he brought me home, he gave me a kiss goodbye and it was over for me. From that very moment the most beautiful life began unfolding for us both. We began sharing everything this life could throw at us, and we did it together. Loving him is easy, even when life is hard. I didn't just find the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, I also found my best friend.

We hope as we take this next step on our journey together that you will be able to join us. Come eat, share laughs, dance and help us celebrate.