How We Met
It started with an attractive nose…
In May of 2010, Rachel was enjoying a cocktail with one of her girlfriends at the Hotel Bar in Edinboro, Pennsylvania when Timothy approached her. In that cocky tone Tim used to have, he said: “I am really attracted to your nose so I had to come and introduce myself.” Yes, you read that right, attracted to Rachel’s nose. Rachel, who has a nose that is a little on the larger side took offense to this, maybe sincere, maybe jerk comment. We still aren’t sure which one it was to this day. Against better judgment, Rachel decided to give Tim her phone number. They continued to chat back and forth for a week or two until Rachel agreed to go out with Tim, even though his cocky nature made her question her taste in men. Before their date, Rachel decided to do a thorough investigation on Facebook to check this guy out. She noticed he was tagged in a photo that her own cousin had posted with a caption that read “Dad’s side of the family.” What? She picked up the phone and called Tim.
Rachel: “HOW DO YOU KNOW the Berarducci’s?!”
Tim: “Oh, that’s my aunt and uncle.”
Rachel: “NO THAT’S MY AUNT AND UNCLE!”
Rachel: “That’s why you’re attracted to my nose! Your family has the same damn nose!!!!”
Yet, she went out with him anyway. We’re not blood, people! It’s okay! Just merely cousin’s cousins. Which is later how Rachel’s friends referred to him as.
i.e. “Hey Rachel, how was your date with your cousin’s cousin?”
We’ve all had bad dates, but, most of the time, they simply consist of a man being cheap, rude, or excruciatingly dull. But, every so often, you have a date that is so astonishingly terrible that they make you question all of the life choices that led you to this moment, which brings us back to the story of our first date. Halfway through our semi-uneventful date, Rachel needed to excuse herself. She felt a rumble in her belly that became unavoidable. Rachel proceeded to embarrassingly spend the next 3 hours locked in Tim’s bathroom getting sick out of both ends. We’re talking head in the trash can while sitting on the toilet bad. It was MORTIFYING! Rachel attempted to pull herself together and rushed out of his apartment trying not to make eye contact with Tim. She also had one of the worst moral hangovers she had ever had and decided Rachel and Tim were never going to speak again.
Fast-forward, Tim and Rachel only existed to each other as “friends on Facebook” for the next 5 years after that dreaded night in Tim’s bathroom. They proceeded to date other people and they both experienced extreme heartbreak over those years.
Rachel bounced around from Erie to Pittsburgh then back to Erie before she eventually settled in Florida in 2015. In November of 2015, Rachel and Tim ran into each other at a local bar in Erie during one of Rachel’s visits from Florida. Still mortified over that first date experience, she still found Tim exceptionally good looking and couldn’t help but wonder if he was still as cocky as he once was half a decade ago. They spent the evening making googly eyes at each other from across the room but that is all that came from that encounter.
Another year went by. Rachel flew home for her Grandmother’s funeral. During the calling hours the night before the funeral, Tim wandered through the doors to support our mutual aunt. Tim proceeded to send Rachel text messages from across the room.
Tim: “I know this may be inappropriate to say this right now, but you look incredibly beautiful.”
Rachel: “Dude, we’re at my grandmother’s viewing.”
Rachel: puts the phone away.
A few days went by during that visit before they saw each other again. They both showed up to the same get together where they played card games together all night and once again, made googly eyes at each other from across the table. Rachel’s inner voice was screaming at herself in embarrassment for wearing the most ridiculous Minnie Mouse socks that had a hole in the big toe. Tim’s inner voice was shouting at himself for dressing in a ratty Miami Dolphins jersey with his hair looking like Teen Wolf. They both went home and texted each other late into the evening. Rachel agreed to go out on a date with Tim the very next day. Tim picked Rachel up and took her to Wintergreen Gorge where Tim had a picnic planned out. They began their hike when “OH NO, ARE YOU OKAY?!” Tim went down. Hard. Covered head to toe in mud, after smashing the back of his head on a rock, Tim toughed it out. What a faker, he was totally hurt. Despite the pain, they made it to their destination. Tim unzipped his backpack and laid out a fitted sheet to sit on and Country Fair subs to eat. So romantic. They proceeded to talk and kiss, a lot. So much that after going home Rachel realized his scratchy beard gave her face kiss burn. Yes, that is in fact a thing.
Definition:
Kiss burn: Also called a friction burn occurs when the skin rubs or slides against an abrasive stubbily beard surface like the face of a rugged man. Typically, kiss burn is minor and doesn’t cause lasting problems.
On that date it was discovered that all those years ago on their first date Tim thought Rachel was hiding from him in the bathroom and that she was just simply not interested. Which is why he never called her. He was unaware of the situation going on behind the bathroom door.
Rachel flew back to Florida the very next day. Tim and Rachel proceeded to talk several times throughout the course of yet another year. A few “I miss you texts” here and there but nothing ever panned out for the two of them.
In 2017, Rachel was agonizing over a jellyfish sting when Tim reached out to her. He invited her to go to his brother’s wedding in Florida with him. Rachel, who was swamped with photography sessions during the fall season neglected to give Tim a firm yes or no. She accidentally ignored several text messages which left Tim frustrated and confused. The day after the wedding Rachel finally reached out asking if he had a good time. Tim, still frustrated with her absence quickly forgave her and they decided to get together while Tim was still in Florida. Rachel picked Tim up and took him back to Lakeland where she lived and they spent a few days talking and getting to know each other. Rachel was relieved to see that his once cocky demeanor had severely dissipated. They were both completely blindsided by their emotions for each other. After those days together Tim made a trip to Disney where Rachel was running a half marathon to wish her luck and spend another day together before he left for Pennsylvania.
The next few months consisted of long love letters sent through the mail, hour-long phone calls each evening, and of course FaceTime. They agreed that their feelings were strong enough to make it work. Rachel booked the first flight to Pennsylvania to visit. They spent a very snowy week together and attended a wedding where they danced together all night. Before Rachel even went back to Florida Tim had already booked a flight to go back to Florida to see Rachel in February.
On January 23rd Rachel, who wasn’t feeling very well, decided to take a pregnancy test. It was positive. She called her mom in a panic while hyperventilating on the bathroom floor. What’s with all the bathrooms in this story? Her mom left work to come over to calm her down.
Kim: “Are you sure?”
Rachel: “Yes, I’ll take another just to be sure.”
Kim: “Make sure you hold the stick still.”
10 seconds later….
Rachel: “It’s positive.”
Kim: “But you didn’t wait the 3 minutes it says to wait in the directions.”
Rachel: “MOM, THE LINES AREN’T GOING TO DISAPPEAR.”
Kim: “So what are you and Tim going to do? Is he going to move here or are you going to move there?”
Rachel: “I haven’t even told Tim yet!!”
Tim, who was over the moon with excitement arrived in Florida just in time for the first ultrasound.
Many flights back and forth later, Rachel agreed to move to Pennsylvania where they spent a year of their life together and they welcomed Oliver David Casey on September 20, 2018.
The following August of 2019 Tim accepted a position in Florida and they moved back to the sunshine state where they plan to stay and raise their family together.
If you made it to the end of our very long story, thank you for being here and following our love story!
How They Asked
We drove to Johns Pass in St. Petersburg, Florida to go on a dolphin tour. It was sooooo cold and rainy but we decided to tough it out.
After the tour, we had a nice seafood dinner And wrapped the evening up by walking around the town. We visited each shop and goofed around. Before heading back to the car we found a bench by the water and sat with each and talked. Then he pulled out his phone and showed me a slideshow that he put together of our son, Oliver. The very last photo Oliver was holding a piece of paper that said “mommy will you marry daddy? Please.” That’s when Tim got down on one knee.
