I may have won the lotto...

A tear is running down my cheek and I feel a little sick to my stomach as I write the final post of the 100 dates blog.

100 dates.

We did it!

I learned a lot about myself dating so many different people (well, I guess Coqueta wins on number of people dated) and it was a good experiment in being open to new possibilities and to lots of awkward moments. As you all know I spent 80 of my 100 dates with SG#1, who was introduced to me on my 29^th birthday at a bonfire at Golden Gardens. He knew about the blog from the friends that introduced us and promised me the best date of my life. Well, 79 dates together later we were celebrating my 100^th date, our 80^th date and, coincidentally and quite perfectly fairytale-like, SG#1’s birthday.

Unlike my birthday almost exactly six months before, December 12^th was a rainy, frigid day in Seattle, and I was packing my bags for a trip to Australia to visit friends and (so I thought) to enjoy the southern hemisphere’s summertime weather. I was also packing my little VW Golf full to the brim with supplies for SG#1’s birthday surprise and praying to the rain gods to turn off their incessant faucet of rain long enough to complete it. “I’m not even asking for sun,” I pleaded, “ just one hour of dry, gray skies!”

The rain gods must have had ear buds in listening to Led Zeppelin's rain song because it poured rain all day long. I picked up SG#1,donning galoshes, rain jacket and hat – not a very sexy birthday celebration outfit for sure. I had forewarned SG#1 of the apparel requirements and he was skeptical and guarded as he got into the car. A quick pit stop at Starbuck’s for two hot chocolates and we were off to Golden Gardens to re-live the moments we shared the first night we met.

When the car pulled up SG#1 didn’t want to get out. I was trying to keep a positive attitude because I wanted his birthday to be as special as mine, but my heart sunk when I saw the look on his face. There was nothing I could do about the rain – he was just going to have to change his attitude. So I unloaded the car: camping chairs, wood for the fire, a blanket, S’mores ingredients and Bailey’s for the hot chocolates. As we started to walk to the beach to claim a fire pit a gust of wind dumped a sheet of rain on our heads and SG#1 voiced his doubt over building a fire in the rain.

“It’s okay, you were an Eagle Scout. We’ll figure it out,” I yelled over the crashing waves while tripping over wet sand.

It was getting more and more difficult to keep a chipper attitude as my hair frizzed and my wool hat started to smell like a flock of wet sheep. There were four fisherman in their orange coveralls building a fire in another pit, roasting the day’s catch and drinking from flasks.

If they could do it, we could do it.

Eventually the fire caught on, the rain lifted to a gentle mist and the sky brightened our spirits (or maybe it was the Bailey’s) just long enough to roast marshmallows and recount the night we met. We laughed about first impressions and second thoughts, our first date, meeting each other’s friends and families, and talked about what the future might hold. A little shaky in the beginning, but all-in-all a fun and adventurous birthday surprise for SG#1. I also surprised him with a peanut butter ice cream cake at his friend’s holiday party later that night (partly to make up for making him stand in the rain for two hours) and we had breakfast the next morning at Toulouse Petit and sat at the bar (the site of our first-date drinks), before I hopped on a plane and started my adventure down under.

Well, that was it.

100 dates.

And I hit the jackpot. I met the most amazing person with which I’ve ever spent 80 dates. I could say it was because I bought a toaster for two on sale at Macy’s when mine broke, or because at date number 19 I decided to feng shui my room for love or because it was time or fate or just because. But, for whatever reason, I’m really happy I opened my heart to love. It’s Valentine’s day tomorrow, and I’m excited to spend a low-key night with SG#1 making dinner together – something red, and lovey-dovey, anyone have a good idea for dinner? Perhaps you’ll find the recipe of what we make on a new blog (still under construction)…much to SG#1’s dismay for sure.

Well, as SG#1 likes to say, I may think I have won the lotto, but my ticket hasn’t quite been cashed in. I’m hoping, though, that we have hundreds of more dates together.