Hers:
Sometime in mid 2020, the Covid restrictions relaxed slightly and I was finally able to get a long awaited visit in with my good friend Beverly. We always have a lovely banter that clips along without completely finishing one topic before we are onto the next. On this particular day, Bev broached that a handsome man had moved in around the corner from her. She had known him for years through her partner Brett and she felt we would be a good match. She had my interest and I wanted more. Bev proceeded to tell me his details: “tall, dark (ginger) and handsome” and added that she knew he was recently back on the market.
BRAKES!
“Beverly, if he’s newly single, he can navigate that for a while and if we met in the future I wouldn’t be opposed”.
The topic then quickly changed to other events in our lives, but the seed had been planted.
Click Next / Swipe Right to find out more!
His (2021):
What seems a long, long time ago as well as just yesterday, I was in my best friend’s (Brendan’s) hot tub solving world political situations and discussing how best to take quantum theory from a theory into reality. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Brendan had earlier invited our friend Brett over for a dip as well, who, on arrival, added aspects of quantum theory to our discussion we hadn’t considered before... I‘m sure that’s what we were talking about.
Somehow, the conversation got around to the age-old question to determine if Brett had any single, smart and attractive (and sane) female friends…he volunteered that he knew his partner, Beverly, had someone in mind.
Hers:
Fast forward 1 1/2 years'ish and into 2021. On another one of our visits, Beverly explains that she had seen/spoken to Ryan and wanted my approval to give him my details. She jokes now that she must have sold Ryan better the second time, as I agreed that she could pass along my information. Within hours of giving nods, Ryan took the initiative and sent our first message. The first message didn’t sweep me off my feet, but with everything Bev had told me of him, I wanted to get to know him more.
His:
As soon as I got details from Beverly and Brett, I opened communication with Jodi. We chatted via messenger and text for a few weeks – she didn’t want to get distracted from spending quality time with her bestie, MJ Kain, who’d travelled across our great nation to visit. See my awesome intro message next!
NOV 11, 2021 AT 8:30 P.M.
Hello. Apparently, someone's playing cupid and your name came up. I'm Ryan (obvi). • •• What's your story?
NOV 11, 2021 AT 9:06 P.M.
Sorry - maybe I came on to strong..? Bev said she reached out and you were ok with messaging you...
NOV 11, 2021 AT 10:06 P.M.
Hey Ryan, nothing like that; I was watching a movie with a girlfriend and just getting to your message now. Yes, Bev had mentioned you to me. I'll admit I'm curious what you know of me? If Bev and Brett approved, I'd be interested in getting to know you.
Hers:
Trying to find words to adequately describe my feelings on the day Ryan and I first met has been challenging. What seemed like a simply lunch ended up being so, much, more. Then I read a quote about love and it said all the things that I was feeling on that day.
"I knew I did from that first moment we met. It was... not love at first sight exactly but, familiarity. Like
'oh, it's you, it's going to be you."
- Mhairi McFarlane
On what seemed like the windiest day (in Ontario standards), Ryan and I agreed to meet for a lunch date along the water. He was early, sitting at a picnic table when I pulled in; the only thing bigger than his smile was the giant sushi roll he brought me.
Genuine conversations ensued that had our short lunch extending into hours. We walked the waterfront and talked openly about anything and everything in a comfort I had never experienced before. November 21/2021, was the day my life changed direction on the best possible path.
His:
On November 21st, 2021, MJ made Ontario a darker place with her leaving. However, that was a fateful day for another reason: Jodi and I were scheduled to meet. Jodi and I met at Lake Ontario Park. I remember very clearly: it seemed the sun broke through the clouds when she smiled at me as she did that day. She was probably smiling because she saw that I had brought sushi. We ate the sushi and continued our conversation while walking around Lake Ontario Park. Time seemed to melt away and we ended up walking and talking for three hours about anything and everything. Jodi disclosed that apparently Beverly had tried to match us up a year prior but Jodi was happy being single aaaaaand Beverly hadn’t sold me well enough... We did not kiss at the conclusion of that first date; even though I asked her for one. We did agree to meet the following week for another date.
Hers:
We kept our second date casual and met at a pub for wing night. Ryan was in the parking lot and met me at my door. He asked me to follow him to his car, that he had something for me. It’s a good thing that this man had high praise from two people I trust, because if that had happened under any other circumstance, I would have excused myself from our date and left immediately.
In the dark, empty parking lot I followed Ryan to his car. Opening his back hatch I immediately noticed a Home Depot bucket, along with ratchet straps, rope and duct tape (what the?)…. Ryan had constructed what was described as a “murder bucket” - I could disregard the others as emergency preparedness. I felt heard and was touched that something I lightly mentioned on our first date (new rodent activity in my neighbourhood) that Ryan took it upon himself to try and help my situation. I had been through enough life lessons to understand that this was a big deal.
He boldly went for it, Ryan kissed me. He was so nervous and it honestly was a very bad kiss...but that kiss seemed to calm his nerves (at least a bit) and we had a great night continuing our many conversations. Ryan was doing a challenge with his cousin Brendan, 100 days dry. It wasn’t until we got our bill that we noticed he had racked up all the refill charges. #MostExpensiveWingsEver! We laugh about this now. It also took a number of wing night dates before I caught Ryan sneaking his bones into my discard pile. He was wondering how long before I noticed, he had been doing it since that first wing night.
Our evening ended with a proper kiss that made me forgot all about the first one.
His:
She did not know this at the time, but I asked her to attend a situation where I could test one of my dating hardlines: can she maintain eating manners with saucy wings?
One of the topics we briefly talked about during our walk on our first date was the fact that she was dealing with a pest-control problem in her neighbourhood. Before we proceeded to “the test”, I asked her to follow me to my car in a dark parking lot (I didn’t realize the implications of that at the time, but follow she did!) and I presented her with a murder-bucket to help her with her pest problems. I wasn’t aware of it until later, but that action of presenting her with a murder bucket was a primary reason that I was able to sweep her off her feet. #ListeningSkills
I also kissed her without permission before the test could ensue. I was nervous; it was awkward.
She passed the eating test with flying colours, but whoa she ate a lot of wings! (as evidenced by the number of discarded bones she left behind).
Hers:
A couple days later, Ryan and I hit up a Christmas Market and an art show. I had a nervous excitement as I would be meeting Ryans sister, while visiting her Christmas booth. Anyone who knows me, knows I collect Christmas ornaments for special/memorable moments. I purchased an ornament from Kimber that day; we hang it on our tree every year.
What also made this date special for me, was Ryan telling me a memory of him and his children that a particular piece of art evoked. By this point, I already knew that Ryan would be a big part of my life (and he wasn't going anywhere). I instantly knew I needed to buy this piece of art for him. I still remember the excitement I felt after our date when driving back to the exhibit and the thoughts of this being his Christmas present.
His:
On our third date, she broadened my horizons by taking us to a Christmas Market where she met my second oldest sister, Kimber, followed by an art show. There was art there that reminded me of special Sunday mornings with my children when they were younger, a story I passed along to Jodi during one of our many conversations that day. The picture above is our very first photo we took together (on that day).
His:
I fell so madly in love with her that I had to propose to her twice!
The first time, I begged the airline through months of communication to plead with the captain of our plane to assist – which he did very well over the PA (he actually did the whole proposal for me! - pictured are the flight attendants after the proposal). I hadn't been able to confirm with the pilot / airline that this was going to happen; when talking with the stewards, they didn't have any idea who I was, so I had chaulked it up to a dream..until it happened!
The second time, I proposed on bended knee in front of her friends and family where I actually presented her the ring (that I didn’t have time to retrieve at the first proposal).
Hers:
Ryan’s proposals came as a complete surprise to me (both of them)!
I mean, we had spoken of getting married, we had even viewed rings in a shop, but I had no clue it was happening when it did. I daresay Ryan wasn’t quite sure it was going to happen either until the announcement began. To say I was speechless when the pilot made the announcement would be an understatement. I looked from Ryan, to the flight attendant at my side holding champagne flutes, and back to Ryan, in shock and speechless that he had done this. It probably felt like eternity before I actually said yes! Learning later of all the plan(s) and scenarios he put together to get to this point was very flattering.
His second proposal was in front of a large majority of my family, many of which he had just met. I was again oblivious as my mother tried to assist and gather us all around for a group photo, before Ryan, on bended knee proposed for a second time.
Ours:
We live together now with Carson, his dog, Dexton, Jodi’s dog, Pancake and occasionally Logan when she is home from university. Jodi makes a perfect step-mother; Logan and Carson adore her.
Throughout our time together, we’ve seen and been through many trials and tribulations and know, through good times and bad, that we are destined for each other. We cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together as we know our lives will be filled with love, happiness and excitement.
Ours:
I know our love story seems like a typical, run-of-the-mill encounter, but to us it is a magical foundation that will spring many more tales and adventures.
We hope you can join us as we celebrate our love for each other and help us create lovely memories as we continue our lifelong journey.