This Weekend

This week on Sincerely Jennie has been a little gushy. First it was Galentine’s Day, then The Blue Valentine, so I thought we’d keep it going with This Weekend. I’m doing something a little different, and instead of suggesting fun activities for your weekend, I’m going to share a little bit about mine, and how my boyfriend and I are choosing to spend it.

I met my boyfriend on OKCupid just over two years ago. It was my second time really giving the site a try, and while I had met nice men through it, few had clicked. But one weeknight I was fed up with sitting home alone and announced to my roommate, “I’m going to message four guys a night until I get someone I like.” I came across Steve’s profile and was immediately intrigued when I saw he also loved peanut butter M&Ms. Steve was one of the first guys I messaged that night. He was also the only one who messaged me back, which turned out to be fine with me.

Our messages quickly turned into emails, which turned into texts, and we were even texting on Valentine’s Day 2013 when I sent him a photo of my KFC box meal. He swooned (or so I believe). We set our first date for the following Sunday and he picked me up at my apartment, which he later informed me was a real gamble when I was meeting a near stranger. We walked across the street only to find out the grill was broken at our first choice restaurant. So then we walked some more in the Chicago cold and settled for a laid back meal at a bar.

The more we dated, the more I knew something could be there. We became exclusive quickly, a choice that looking back, makes me see how online dating can sometimes make new relationships difficult. Sure, on paper we were a great match, but in real life we had no shared friends, no prior experiences together. We had to get used to one another’s strong personalities and learn to compromise, but we were both willing to do.

Our relationship has grown stronger as we’ve gone from meeting each other’s friends to meeting each other’s families. From sharing our past journalistic pursuits to editing each other’s blog posts. Through dates, trips and even arguments we’ve become a good team, and I’m so looking forward to getting away with Steve for a few days this weekend to celebrate our two year anniversary and Valentine’s Day.