An Unexpected Romance

This past week, I received a Facebook reminder about a rescue dog adoption event I hosted five years ago. It was a simple concept. Help local foster-based rescue organizations bring their adoptables to a single location, open it to the public and drum up adoption applications. It helped me forge incredible friendships and partnerships with TEAM Dog Rescue, Save Me Dog Rescue and Safehome Animal Rescue.

Something else happened as a result of that event. I met my wife!

How it all happened

Earlier that year, I had experimented with dating apps to try and meet people. I was always looking for a real relationship and while I met some interesting women, I could tell something was missing. In the meantime, a woman named Leora and I connected in March, 2016. We became Facebook friends, but never went on a date.

Fast forward to May, 2016. The dog event was a few weeks away and I wanted to do everything I could to promote it. I posted about it on social media, emailed friends and family and asked all volunteers to do the same. Things were going well. Hundreds of people confirmed their attendance and we were confident the event was going to be successful.

And then came a Facebook message from Leora. Out of the blue, she asked me if there was anything she could do to help promote the event. She was a rescue dog mom and wanted to participate in any way she could. I asked her to share the event with all of her social media followers. We texted for a little while longer and I knew I was intrigued. This was someone who seemed to love rescue dogs as much as I do!

My calculated risk

The following week, Leora was promoting a craft show she was participating in that coming weekend. Although I had never been to a craft show before, I knew I wanted to meet the pretty woman who loved rescue dogs so I called a friend and suggested we go to that craft show.

After scouring through many booths and exhibits, I finally found Leora aka ‘The Otter Potter’. Within seconds, I knew I wanted to ask her out on a date, but needed to figure out a way to make it impossible for her to say no. So what did I do? I bought the two ceramic bowls circled in the picture below!

Now don’t get me wrong, the bowls are beautiful and we still use them today, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have an ulterior motive. After paying for the bowls, I followed up with a date request for Victoria Day Monday. Leora was on board.

Best first date ever!

Our date that Monday was by far the best first date I’ve ever had. Unlike most first dates, Leora and I skipped past the trivial ‘get to know each other’ conversation and went right into our deepest, darkest secrets. We were vulnerable with each other from day one.

When the date ended, all I knew is I couldn’t wait to see her again. So I didn’t wait. We went out together the next day and the day after and the day after….and now, five years later, we’ve been happily quarantined together for 15 months. Don’t get me wrong – I can’t wait for the pandemic to end, but I couldn’t have chosen a better lockdown partner than her. To think – this may never have happened, had it not been for a rescue dog adoption event.

There will always be a special place in my heart for my rescue dog friends. Had it not been for you, who knows where I’d be today. Thanks for reading!