Aaron and I went on our first date on October 2, 2012, a few days before he left to run the Chicago Marathon. Almost two years later, he’s still making me laugh. Aaron and I were both each other’s last date attempts before pausing our JDate accounts. We were both a bit exhausted from dating, yet not finding the right person. Aaron grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio; a Midwest boy through and through, he studied his way to the top of his class, and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. Grad school brought him to sunny San Diego, and he never looked back.
I, on the other hand, grew up in Los Angeles. I was involved in BBYO growing up, joined a mostly Jewish sorority in college, and attended High Holiday Services at Hillel – yet never dated a Jewish guy. I went to the University of Wisconsin, spent a year in Chicago, and then, ironically, found my way to Cincinnati for a new job. I loved Cincinnati. I met amazing people, got involved in the community, and my love of the Midwest and the changing seasons grew. After two years in Cincinnati, however, I hadn’t met “The One.” I decided then that it was time to move back to California to be closer to family. A friend of Aaron’s (whom I actually dated once after meeting on JDate), suggested I reach out to his buddy in San Diego. “He’s a nice guy,” he said. I was so wrapped up in the moving process I didn’t listen, but did get a name.
Two months after moving to San Diego, I got a message from Aaron. What did we have in common? Cincinnati! Skyline Chili (not personally a fan), Graeter’s Ice-Cream (yum), and Bengals Football (Who Dey!). I recognized his name, his photo, and asked a few friends for more details. After he got the green light from my Ohio girlfriends, I decided it was worth a first date. Yeah, that’s right, I did my research and I’ve never looked back. Aaron is smart, witty, and makes me laugh. They say you wind up meeting someone like your dad and, ironically, this is true. They have the same sense of humor.
Aaron and I bonded originally over Cincinnati, but we discovered so much more we had in common. Running and healthy living are extremely important to us both. We’ve run two half marathons side by side, and love working out together. He still struggles to touch his toes in yoga. 🙂
Do I think Aaron and I would have met without JDate? Perhaps. But, JDate provided us both the extra nudge we needed. We say our love is Beshert. I moved to Cincinnati in 2010 knowing just one person. I left with amazing friendships, and two years later met the love of my life, also from Cincinnati. If I had not spent two years in Ohio, who knows if we would’ve ever met?
Erica and Aaron
San Diego, California