The holidays are here, and I was contemplating a topic: joy, connection, celebration, giving, gratitude. But December is when my life changed dramatically 7 years ago so I’d like to share that story with you.
In August of 2016 I met an incredible woman. The meeting was brief. We only spent a few moments together. I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. She’s a fighter and was in her 2nd battle with lung cancer. She had no hair, and she was breathtakingly gorgeous. We were at a party for someone neither of us knew (friend of a friend, going away party) but preferred the company of each other during the short time we attended. Afterward I thought to myself – why can’t I find love with someone like that?
Flash forward to Christmas, 2019. My kids were off with my ex-in laws, and I sat home alone and lonely. I decided to dip my toe into the online dating pool again. After several failed attempts to find “the one” (and in truth, I didn’t believe that existed) I was loathe to create another profile. But my loneliness won, and online I went. Ironically, the very first profile that appeared as a potential match was HER! Her name? Leah Bryant. Cancer survivor. Amazing people leader. Successful career professional. Beloved Aunt to some incredible nieces and nephews and a responsible, financially stable adult. Jackpot.
I made the first move. “Hi! Do you remember me? We met at that going away party? I’d love to reconnect with you, friend.” Lucky for me – she responded and thus began a 5-month correspondence. Within weeks of that December night the pandemic launched us all into deep isolation. Having Leah to talk with every day became my lifeline. I was already feeling a deep loneliness before we were told to shelter in place. During those months something magical happened and we fell in love!
Our first date was a ‘virtual’ date in March 2020. We finally got to meet in person once her oncologist cleared her to have a visitor and she made me breakfast one Sunday morning in early June. From then on, we were inseparable. We had the best COVID July 4th celebration in her driveway and continued our romance through the end of the year. On Christmas eve I proposed and here's how.
Leah and I frequently visited Chalco Hills Park in Millard, NE over that summer in 2020. I asked her once what her dream date would be, and she told me she always dreamt of dancing in the headlights of a car at night. She also shared with me that she wanted to be proposed to, as opposed to doing the proposing. On December 24th I had planned an entire day taking her to some of my favorite places: Starbucks to start (of course), St. Cecilia Church to see their beautiful holiday décor and to light a candle in remembrance of loved ones, the Bellevue Cemetery to honor a mother-figure in my life who passed, then out to our favorite spot at Chalco overlooking the lake. I planned the day so that we would get to the lake by sunset. I brought a Bluetooth speaker, made a short song list of our favorite songs, and once parked we danced in the headlights. She was a trooper given the cold 10 degrees, and after one song I pulled out a gift when “our” song began – A Thousand Years, by Christina Perri. The gift was a silver ornament with her engagement ring hidden inside. I got down on my knee and asked her to marry me and she said yes (then had to help me up). We then went to her brother’s house afterward so he and his family could celebrate with us. The rest of the night was a blur…but she surprised me when we got home and pulled out her own ring for me with another proposal on her knees this time. I literally screamed out loud when I saw my ring! We had both planned to propose that night!
Thus began a holiday tradition now for us remembering that night that changed both of our lives. May 21, 2022, we wed at a small private ceremony at, where else? Chalco Hills, of course. Although we both had family that couldn’t attend (or in my case, refused to attend) it was the happiest day of my life.
My Christmases have not always been merry, and for many years I didn’t have love like this. Same for Leah, who never even put up a Christmas Tree in her home until we met. Now this is one of the happiest of all holidays for us both. Life is full of surprises. This year I experienced more than a few. I’ll be reflecting soon on 2023, putting some new goals in place for 2024 and selecting my new One Word for the coming year. I’ll share more on that in my January post!
Until then, Leah and I wish you the happiest of holidays filled with love, merry memories, and magic.
Engagement Photo, 12/24/22
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