It may not have been your typical setting: global pandemic, near economic collapse, or a looming third world war but hey, when you find someone everything else seems to fall away.

We met in the spring of 2021 with the help of modern technology. Jorge was in the Marines serving as a helicopter pilot and just a couple of months from his next deployment. Melissa was a thriving dental professional who was putting all of her love into her bundle of joy, Mateo. Both of us had reached a point where we felt it was time to date with intention, and this first date....was not that time.

This wasn't your typical 88 minute Hallmark spring special. There wasn't a book store, there wasn't a small town, and there surely wasn't a golden retriever either. But I'll tell you what there was: six dates...over the course of a year and three months (granted 6 of those months Jorge wasn't even in the same hemisphere). And in each of those six dates, Melissa got to see the suave, handsome, stoic Captain slowly turn into a goofy, whimsical, (but still incredibly handsome) former captain. While Jorge saw this caring, compassionate, intelligent and beautiful woman remain a caring, compassionate, intelligent and beautiful woman. Jorge finally came to his senses and in the summer of 2022, Melissa and Jorge began the beginning of what would be an incredible and blessed journey together. The word for our Happiness in Italian is "Allegro", which is fitting because that's where it all began.