When I take a few minutes, hours, days to reflect upon the last year I can hardly believe all the changes that have happened…

Last year at this time I was living in the best apartment ever in Elmwood Village and loving life. Out and about. A few different guys, a few different dates. Some really wonderful, some not so wonderful but all in all I was happy with my life. At the end of the year I went out a few times with a total keeper, who I fell hard for. As in all things dating, he didn’t feel the same way…and this time I was the one sad and filled with tears. Initial reaction was give him time, until time passed and it was obvious that I was a hopeless, pathetic girl doomed to never, ever find love.

I decided to go on a dating sabbatical. Which lasted approximately a week.

The-woe-is-me-maybe-I-should-just-move-because-there’s-no one-in-Buffalo-for-me mood faded once I stopped being SAD and started being MAD. Mad, hmm…not really mad…but fed-up darn it! Time to stop dating people who I know aren’t going to be good for me. Time to stop going out with people because he seems like a good guy and I should like him. Time to realize that I did deserve more and I was going to find someone who loved me for the me I am today and wanted the same future!

Of course I jumped back online and posted a profile…And saw He Who Makes Me Smile.

Brown hair, glasses, great smile. No spelling errors or annoying lines stating “no drama” in profile. And the most intriguing part…he mentioned he was recently taking up the hobby of blacksmithing. Yes, the line about blacksmithing turned me on. A manly man type. And definitely unique! Hmmmm. I wrote some sort of email and he responded, which he will remind me of over and over…I contacted HIM. Yes, yes I did. And so began the emailing and texting and Facebook friending.

Quick Aside: I have to thank MathMan, the last person I went out with before He Who Makes Me Smile, for getting me over my snobbery regarding proper texting. I really can’t stand all the abbreviations and using numbers and text speak. I automatically think, lazy and not very bright. However MathMan, was VERY bright and was a very lazy texter and used all of the above. And I was still attracted to him. Bias cured! And just in time, because from the first day He Who Makes Me Smile texted me…until the day I moved in at the beginning of September I received a text from him that said “GM love” upon waking. Now, he sends the message once he gets to work. Ah, love.

On our first date I asked him if he wanted to go to a Sabres game. Not because I wanted to impress him, but because I wanted to go to the Sabres game! When he asked about a dinner spot for a recommendation, I said Fat Bob’s, not because I wanted to impress him with much meat and BBQ, but because I wanted much meat and BBQ (Plus the restaurant is FAST and close to my office and metro line to get to the arena.) When he went to get me a drink I told him I wanted a giant Labatt Blue, not because I wanted to impress him but…well you see where this is going. I’m a perfect hockey/BBQ/beer lovin’ kind of gal! He Who Makes Me Smile decided to go in for a quick smooch when Buffalo scored. My Sabres hat kept him from getting too close, hee hee… Of course at this game—Mr. Drew Stafford had a hat trick. I do believe we quickly decided if we got married we would have to invite Drew to the wedding since, well, he might have been the reason we had our first kiss and second and third!

After the game, we decided to keep the evening going a little longer with part 3 of the date at Gabriel’s Gate. Now here’s the funny part. My BFF ended meeting us out at the bar and having drinks with us! Does anyone else have their MALE BFF meet a great guy on a first date? No pressure of course, the two bonded seamlessly and their bromance began over shots of Jameson. I kid you not. The reason why I asked BFF to come out in the first place wasn’t to check him out to see what he thought…but more to have them meet because they had WAY too much in common. He Who Makes Me Smile happened to live in Vermont for many years and so did the BFF. On top of that they both sort of had the same sense of humor lines that make me shake my head…and I just thought they needed to meet in person so both of them would stop asking me to ask the other if they knew of so and so or this place or that. Funny, eh?

He Who Makes Me Smile said it was his Best Date Ever. And told me he was going to marry me…This line intimidates me, believe it or not I’ve had it thrown around by more than one person I just recently met who is in WAY over his head…but this time, this time I knew the guy was being sweet and had a lovely time.

On our second date, we hit Ambrosia for dinner and had a bottle of wine. I remember smiling the ENTIRE evening. Smile. Smile. Smile.

He Who Makes Me…Smile.

Everything felt simple and easy and right. I wasn’t emailing my friends asking about this or that. Not questioning, wondering, dreaming…just being. No indication of when it happened, it just happened, right away.

Just when you think you need a dating sabbatical…