In January of 2010, my dear sweet Bubbie passed away.  She had a huge part in my upbringing and we were always close.  She taught me so much.  She taught me how to be myself, be accepting of others, have an open heart and how to love.  After she passed away, I knew that I wanted her to live on through me and generations to come.  Another thing that struck me was seeing my Papa with her during her last days.  The way he looked at her with love and compassion made me realize that I wanted to have a love like that too.

It was hard for me to date and find somebody I wanted to spend my life with because I was busy traveling the world with Sesame Street® Live.  I was in my 8th year of tour and a part of a very special project.  It was the USO Sesame Street Experience for Military Families.  It was a show that helped military families cope with deployment, homecomings and loss. Seeing the sacrifices the military families made really changed my life.  I am forever grateful for that experience.

Even though I loved traveling and performing, I knew I didn’t always want that life.  I knew that a job couldn’t provide the love and support that a family could.  That’s when I decided to sign up for JDate.

When I would get an email from someone via JDate, they would instantly be turned off by the fact that I was on the road.  Then I got an email from Jason.

I had actually clicked on one of the hearts on his profile back in March, but he didn’t get in touch with me until June!  We emailed back and forth a couple of times and what really made me excited was when Jason actually called me.  I asked when he would be online so we could IM and he wanted my phone number!  I was so happy to actually have a conversation on the phone.  That first conversation lasted 4 hours.  The next night was 5 hours.  The night after that was 6 hours!  That is how it went for the next few weeks until we finally met.  It was so nice to get to know him through phone conversations.  We really got to know each other and I think that made a huge impact in our relationship.  I would fight sleep for hours just to talk to him.

During those conversations I learned that Jason’s grandmother had also recently passed away.  He told me finding a Jewish woman was never important until his grandmother passed away.  Sometimes it takes a loss to find out what is really important in life.

Jason is a singer-songwriter, so he understands what it means to follow you dreams and he had no problem with me touring.  He also sent me a bunch of his songs that I listened to a lot!  I would go on walks and just listen to him sing.  He is a brilliant writer and hearing his voice made me feel closer to him.  I could take a piece of him wherever I went.

I got to come home for my sister’s wedding at the end of June, which was also the weekend of my 29th birthday.  Jason and I finally got to meet AND he got to meet my entire family at my sister’s wedding!  Unfortunately, I had to go back on the road for two more months.  It felt like forever!  I didn’t want to leave him, but I knew I had to finish my commitment.  Luckily, Jason was able to visit me in Colorado Springs, Colorado the first week of August.  We did a lot of sightseeing and it was nice to have real dates instead of phone dates!

When tour was done in September, I flew straight to NY for his sister’s wedding.  I felt completely comfortable around his family and had a great time.  (Later on, they told me they didn’t really believe Jason had a date for the wedding!  Ha!  They thought he was making me up!)

We always have so much fun together and we really are perfect for one another. In June of 2011, after dating for a year, he proposed, but didn’t know it.  After my birthday dinner we played an intense game of The Michael Jackson Experience on the Wii™ and I fell asleep!  I felt him holding my hand.  Then rubbing my hand.  I thought it was so sweet.  Then, I felt him measuring my ring finger!  Poor guy thought I was asleep the whole time.  I didn’t want him to think I knew, so I pretended to be asleep and let him continue to measure my finger!

Well, about a month ago on a family cruise he proposed. I didn’t have the reaction that he expected because I knew it was coming.  There were no tears or shouts.  I was excited, but it wasn’t what he had pictured in his mind.  I had to be honest.  I told him I felt him measuring my finger and luckily he thought it was hysterical!  I also told him that I wished I could have bottled up all of the butterflies in my belly and giggles that I was hiding the night he proposed, so I could share them with him.  I will never forget that feeling!

I am so grateful to you JDate for helping me find Jason.  Without your wonderful service I would be missing out on the greatest adventure.  Even though you all had a huge hand in helping us find each other, there is a part of me that thinks our grandmothers had a little something to do with it.

Dani and Jason
Nashville, Tennessee