A Great Visit

 "If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on." (Steve Jobs)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

 

     Mike's epic visit is officially in the books! He jetted out Sunday night, but man, what an incredible week we had. You know, I thought I'd be a nervous wreck meeting him for the first time, especially at the airport—that initial look-across-the-crowd was definitely a little weird! But honestly, it only lasted like two seconds. All those worries I had about our online chemistry not translating to real life? Poof! Gone! From that moment on, it was just pure, easy comfort. It truly felt like catching up with someone I'd known forever.

 

     Mike's visit was a total win right out of the gate! As a huge South Park devotee, a pilgrimage to Casa Bonita for their "Day of the Dead" celebration was non-negotiable.

 

You should have seen his face! He was genuinely shocked by how accurate the show's depiction of the place is—turns out, all those hilarious South Park gags are spot-on.

 

It was a stroke of absolute luck we went early in the week. Just a couple of days later, the entertainers went on strike! We just narrowly avoided a disaster and got to experience the cliff divers, puppet shows, and gorilla mascot in all their glory. Talk about great timing!

 

    I took him to his first-ever trip to either Costco or Sam's Club! He'd never experienced the magic, so naturally, we had to cap off our bulk-buying spree with the whole legendary hot dog and pizza combo. Mission accomplished—I officially converted him into a warehouse store fanatic!

 

Besides that high point, we kept the rest of the week pretty low-key and just did all the normal things—grocery runs, errands, you name it. (Mom, thankfully, got a relaxing week off from all those trips!)

 

We spent a lot of time just cruising through Denver and Aurora so he could get a real feel for the area. And what can I say? He completely fell head over heels for Colorado. Seriously, with those views, who wouldn't?

 

Mom, in her usual routine, was content to stay home most days, letting us go out while her pain kept her company. But when the day of the big garden center festival arrived, I knew I had to work my magic!

 

I finally managed to talk her into coming, and oh, was she ever glad she did! She ditched the stay-at-home blues and absolutely lit up once we were there. Not only did she soak in the festive atmosphere, but she was in such a good mood that she even splurged! She ended up snagging some fun Halloween decor  and a bunch of great snacks.

 

It turned out to be a fantastic day—a perfect reminder that sometimes a little push is all it takes to find a great time!

 

     Forget the scary "meet the parents" moment—my mom handled it with a surprise early-morning chat while I was in the shower! She immediately went into 'What are your intentions?' mode, covering all the questions she knew Dad would ask. The surprising part? They didn't just survive the conversation; they crushed it! She later raved about how easy and comfortable it is to be around him, gushing that they covered every topic under the sun. It's truly awesome to see how well they connect. The final seal of approval? Even the notoriously grumpy Scooter became his biggest fan, happily curling up on his lap for a serious snooze.

 

      The airport drop-off on Sunday night was brutal. I stayed with him until the absolute last possible second—neither of us wanted that incredible time to end. But don't feel too bad for us! We've already locked down the next visit: he's coming back for two glorious weeks in March to celebrate his birthday! I'm genuinely buzzing about the whole thing and what the future holds. And you all know how cautious (read: skeptical!) I am about people. I'm talking a solid 99% sure he's my person. Everything from our online chats to the in-person connection is a perfect fit, but a couple more trips (for me to Cleveland and him back here) will seal the deal!

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!