We met in 7th grade at Salk Middle School, we were in the same block.  Danny tells a lovely story of how I yelled at him in the library because he called me "Alexandria".  My mother and I can both attest that I did go through that phase, so even though I do not recall the encounter, I do believe it may be true.  :)

We had classes together in high school and we were always friendly with each other.  I always liked Danny, he was friendly and talked to everyone, no matter what crowd you were from. Senior year we talked several times on the phone, but from my point of view, "he never asked me out", from his point of view, "I wasn't really dating anyone.". 

Years later, thanks to Facebook, we became friends online and started to play the game "Words with Friends" and he messaged me on a particular game I had been kicking his butt on. He said, "You could at least buy me dinner if you're going to spank me like that."  I laughed and I immediately reached back out to him.  Messaging on Words with Friends grew to text messages, which then grew to phone conversations.  I asked him to go out for a drink two times since we hadn't seen each other since HS, but he turned me down and told me he had just gotten out of a relationship.  I sighed and let it go.

Months later, I was rock scrambling with Linda in upstate New York at the Mohonk Mountain House and I was telling her all about the online dating scene and how difficult it was.  Online dating was like a full time job, ugh!  In between my stories of online dating I kept bringing up Danny McNamara to her, whom she went to HS with as well.  I recall her asking, "Why do you keep bringing up Danny McNamara?"  I remember thinking to myself, "Why do I keep thinking of him?"  She encouraged me to ask him to get a drink again and that maybe he really was just going through a bad time and it had nothing to do with me.  So, I went home and messaged him the very next day and much to my surprise, he said YES!  He said, "Forget drinks, let's go out for dinner Friday night, I'll pick you up at 7pm."  I said, "Let me give you my address," and he said "I know where you live." Haha police officers!!!  

Our first date was Friday, August 22, 2014. He picked me up at my house and would not tell me where we were going.  I was so nervous, but I felt instantly comfortable with him after he walked into my house. I admit at that point I had no idea if this was a date or two old friends getting together to catch up.  I knew when we walked out of my house towards his truck, it was a date and I was happy about it.  He took me to New Hope, PA to Marsha Brown's, an elegant former church renovated into a restaurant. He was, and is, such a gentlemen, always so worried about me. His momma raised him right, old school all the way and I love it about him.  I got a respectful peck on the lips goodbye that night.

Our second date was Saturday September 22, 2014 to see the Bears play the Jets. We talked the entire month in between our two dates, but I was really looking forward to seeing him again.  While waiting on the beer line a drunk girl asked us, "Are you two a couple?" and the poor girl was in a state of flux when she saw she stumped us. Danny said, "Ah, we are still trying to figure it out."  She said, "Oh forget it... complicated," and we laughed out loud. Later, our first kiss ended the evening.

Our third date before we officially became a couple was my finding the guts to ask Danny to go away with me to a wedding of a dear friend in Atlanta.  I believe our trip to see Jess/Matt get married is where we began to fall in love. Our first dance was at the wedding to Train, Drops of Jupiter and I felt like we were at the prom together.  Our chemistry felt right from the beginning and while we were waiting at the airport for my flight home (he was driving...long story) we discussed only seeing each other going forward and giving this relationship a real shot.  My heart was beginning to be filled with joy!!!

Fast forward almost two years later, Danny and Rocky (his cat) moved in in April and on July 2, 2016, Danny made me the happiest woman alive and proposed.