David and I were both single, but we were both coming from very different situations. David was wondering what the next chapter of his life would be like after his wife had passed away. I had been divorced for 23 years and was disillusioned about the possibility of meeting the kind of man I would want to be with forever.

Our first date got off to an interesting start with me moving my car several times to find an adequate parking spot. Meanwhile, I had no idea he was watching me drive up and down the street. He thought I had gotten cold feet about our first date and was preparing to flee!

The restaurant was a little disappointing ... the food was so-so, and the waitress was lousy. But we carried on being the mature adults we are and had some very meaningful conversations, in which I was very direct and to the point. So much so, that I thought he might get up and leave. I had told him that I had become a little jaded about meeting the right guy. I had tried online dating in the past and was not impressed with the quality of men I had met. I also told him that based on those experiences I was going to assume he was a loser until he proved himself otherwise. It was at this point; I expected him to get up and leave. He just gave me a look which was a mix of bewilderment and amusement.... and stayed seated. I knew at that moment he was the man I had been hoping to find. We extended our dinner date to coffee at a nearby donut shop, hesitant to end the evening.

David and I have a lot in common. We share a strong bond with our families, we like to cook, we like to laugh, take road trips, enjoy the same music from our youth and sadly have both had to navigate grieving the loss of loved ones.

Neither one of us expected to find such a wonderful match on that first date, but it was a welcomed surprise.

On September 28th at the Bayview Park in Coronado, David got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage ... Of course, I said YES!