As the familiar saying goes, the third time is the charm...our story dates back to 2022. Alex came across the profile on a dating site of a beautiful girl named Sarah, who seemed too good to be true. He messaged her but unfortunately did not hear back. A few months later, in October, Alex saw Sarah's familiar face and profile on another dating website and messaged her again. To Alex's luck, Sarah responded, and after a few messages back and forth, Alex found out Sarah had never logged in to the first website. She never saw his original message. Sarah informed Alex she did not even realize that her profile on the first site was still active. After exchanging a few messages, a plan for a first date was in motion, but life events got in the way, and ultimately, it was determined the timing wasn't right. Sarah was afraid Alex would be upset, but he responded with understanding and compassion. Alex hoped they could reconnect in the future.

Fast-forward to March 2023. After taking a dating break, Alex rejoined the same dating site and saw that Sarah was active again. Alex messaged Sarah, hoping that the timing was now right. When Sarah saw Alex's message, she was so excited and happy to have the chance to reconnect. To his delight, Sarah messaged him back, and a first date was set.

Sarah likes to believe that the world works in a way and sends signs. Sarah and Alex's first date was at a coffee shop called Elaine's. Alex told Sarah that Elaine was his grandmother's name, his favorite person of all time. Sarah, sitting in her thoughts, wondered, is this a sign? She shared with Alex that she was named after her great-grandfather Alexander, her grandfather's dad, who was also one of her favorite people in the world. Not only that, but her other grandfather's middle name was Alex. Was it too much of a coincidence that their first date had a connection to Alex's grandmother and that two men Sarah loved dearly had a connection to the name Alex?

Signs aside, Sarah realized that Alex was different. Dating Alex was easy. All Sarah wanted to do was to be with Alex. And all Alex wanted to do was be with Sarah. Sarah realized she was falling in love and wanted to be with this person for the rest of her life. She realized she had found the lid to her pot, her cheerleader, and her best friend. Alex knew, too, that he finally found the woman he was searching for—the woman he wanted to marry.

Fast forward to August 2024, at a birthday party Sarah threw in Alex's honor, Alex asked Sarah if she would marry him. Without hesitating, Sarah said, "Of course!" To Sarah's surprise, the proposals were not finished. He also got down on one knee and proposed to Finley, Sarah's dog, with an engagement ring toy. When Sarah asked what gave him the idea, he said, "You told me you were a package deal. It is me and Finley. So if I am going to ask the woman I love to marry me, it is only fitting that I ask Finley to be my buddy forever."

Sarah and Alex cannot wait to be surrounded by their loved ones and celebrate their love for each other. The saying goes the third time is a charm...a saying that will forever have special meaning for Sarah and Alex.

Photos