Thomas and I met the way so many modern love stories begin — on Hinge. Three years ago, a simple match turned into a connection that neither of us could have predicted.

Our first date, however, did not start exactly on time. I had gone to brunch with my aunt in downtown Everett and found myself stuck waiting for the check to be processed. Between the delay and a sunny June day when it seemed like everyone in Washington was trying to get to Seattle at the same time, traffic was relentless. By the time I finally arrived, I was an hour late.

He waited anyway. Patient, eager, and completely unfazed, he stayed right where he was, simply excited to see me.

Once together, we headed to the Museum of Pop Culture. I offered to cover the tickets since he had driven up from Olympia. While the museum itself was not quite the highlight we expected, it did not matter. Thomas’s easy humor and constant commentary kept us laughing, and it quickly became clear how natural our connection felt.

Naturally, he could not resist making things interesting. At one point, he loudly explained an elaborate plan to break in and steal the guitars — all while standing in front of the staff. I stood there trying not to panic, quietly hoping no one would take him seriously.

After MoPOP, we walked to Pike Place Market and along the pier. He did most of the talking while I listened shyly. Somewhere along the way, Thomas sneaked a flower from Pike Place and handed it to me — a small but thoughtful gesture that perfectly matched his playful charm.

I fully intended to keep it, at least until I got home. But when he noticed I was still holding it and told me I did not need to, I felt there was no choice but to throw it away. I did exactly that — leaving him completely stunned.

Since I bought the tickets, he insisted on taking me to dinner. We found what I recall being a nearby Hawaiian-Asian fusion restaurant and talked for hours, neither of us ready for the day to end.

As the evening continued, we walked to the Space Needle, where we talked about life, goals, and the future — and shared our first kiss. What began as a delayed first date had quietly become something meaningful.

Somewhere along the way Thomas also found himself trying all the Asian snacks I grew up loving — and he was a good sport about every single one. That first flower didn’t make it, but I still have the second rose he ever gave me and a petal from every flower he has given me since.

A reminder that some things are meant to be kept forever.

Three years later, the laughter, the patience, and the love are still exactly what they were from the very beginning. Just a little bigger now.

We are grateful every day for the way God wrote this story — and we cannot wait to see what He has planned for the chapters ahead.