It’s rare that you can pinpoint exactly when a life-altering moment happened, but for Kate and Christopher, it was in the Nashville Airport baggage claim, on December 26, 2021, somewhere around nine o'clock in the morning, while waiting for the first Camp Tzadi in two years. Mutual attraction grew over the next two weeks, as they observed each other in the chaos that is a large crowd of teenagers, got snowed in with 20 other people, and even did a polar plunge with a couple of the counselors. (Although Kate still questions why she actually went through with it, but will never EVER give up the bragging rights. Christopher was just proud she did it at all.)

After camp ended and everyone went home, they were still thinking about each other; but Kate (big surprise) was far more impatient than Christopher, and decided to message him… about a money transferring app. (I know, SO romantic, right?) There began a month or so of texting, which then led to a phone call. They decided together to wait until Kate turned 20 to start dating (for a variety of reasons), and so commenced an agonizing and special and hard and exciting 15 months of infrequent texts, many many prayers, and faint-but-oh-so-slowly-growing dreams.

Christopher called Kate during her dinner break on her 20th birthday, almost exactly fifteen months after their first phone conversation, and as they say, the rest is history. His first visit to Kansas City was in June, voluntarily spending two full days with her parents by himself–earning major man points with Kate’s dad–before he even saw her (earning major sweetheart points with Kate; she was in a wedding and a little busy during those two days).

Their first in-person date consisted of a six-hour long conversation, laying all deal-breakers on the table, and included Kate telling Christopher that if he wanted a least-stressed bride (if and when they got engaged), he needed to give her at least six months–but no more than a year–to plan the wedding. (This is important for later. Trust me.) Christopher also told Kate that he wanted to have a “decision” made before they reached their first dating anniversary. (That’s also important to the story.) The rest of the visit was magical (yes, even with the awkwardness that comes with early dating–that made for great stories later), and the next two months included phone calls, lots of messaging, and video calls that were to become the connection point of the relationship. (Thank G-D for modern technology; they do NOT know how people did this long-distance thing without video calls.)

In August, they were reunited at Camp Tzadi once again, up in a tiny little town in central Michigan. By then, they had decided individually that this was “the one”, but managed to keep their relationship relatively on the downlow. (but SPOILERS. Getting ahead of ourselves here.) The last day before everyone dispersed for the year, everyone left at camp went out to lunch (long story there; Kate will gladly tell you more because that day was a WHOLE spectacle), and Kate and Christopher ended up unintentionally looking at old rings together in an antique store. (*swoon*)

Once they both returned home, the anticipation for Kate’s October trip grew steadily. In the midst of this, Kate had decided to start pursuing a digital marketing certificate in addition to a business administration associate’s degree. For a variety of reasons, this led to her thinking she could handle four 16-hr semesters straight. (Spoiler alert: she could not. ) The first–and only–semester like this was the fall of 2023, and it was the trip to San Antonio that created the only respite after midterms.

With a visit to a gorgeous little park bench in Boerne, the future of the two was as determined as mortal man can determine it (Kate may or may not have been speechless), and Christopher asked how soon Kate would be done with college so he could propose (*swoon*. Again.). Oh, and he also asked if she had any opinions on her engagement ring. (um YES. She had opinions.) Six months might seem short to some, but it was as clear as the day is long to them and everyone around them that they were perfect for each other. As Kate spent time with Christopher’s community and family, she and Christopher grew more and more sure that this was her next earthly home, and that this was the answer to years of prayers for both of them.

For some odd reason, the two thought they could handle being apart for a full three-almost-four months until Christopher came to Kansas in early February; fun fact: they could not, but they were still new to the whole relationship/in-love thing when they booked the tickets. The days seemed never-ending, and as Kate was drowning in finals, they were feeling a little despondent. Well, she was. He had a surprise up his sleeve.

The weekend of Kate’s finals, she and her parents were getting ready to go to Arizona to see her sister and family for a concert. Normally, Kate would notice if her parents were acting out of the ordinary, but she was so overwhelmed with schoolwork that the very abnormal suggestion to get to the airport early to “eat lunch” went right over her head. They were sitting at the gate, while Kate was frantically finishing a final, when, all of a sudden, a voice behind her said, “You look like a studious young lady.” She whipped around, ready to give some random weirdo a piece of her mind, but surprise of all surprises, that random weirdo happened to possess a pair of familiar blue eyes. Kate had never before been SO thoroughly shocked and surprised. Ever. She wasn’t sure up to that point that it was possible to fall more in love with this man, but watching him love on the kids who had been holding her heart their entire lives was something wholly different.

That little trip was an answer to prayer, making the remaining time until Christopher’s next visit much more tolerable. Meanwhile, he was out buying a ring and just biding his time.

In February, Christopher came back to Kansas City, and this trip was a doozy; Kate had already run the gauntlet with Christopher’s friends, but he still hadn’t met most of her community. The brave man withstood a packed schedule (which also was not a great decision, but again, lessons were learned), and somehow he came out the other side of the weekend still standing. The most important event of the weekend was the *conversation* Christopher had with Kate’s dad. After this conversation, it was decided that Kate’s parents would make a quick trip down to San Antonio in mid-March–just to make sure that this new place was right for their daughter. They loved the community as much as Kate did, and after giving Christopher the answer he was deeply hoping, longing, praying for, they gave their blessing whole-heartedly.

Time seemed to move a little faster after that; Kate and Christopher attended a conference in Florida together just a couple weeks after that, and just about every single person they knew there asked where the ring was, when the wedding was, etc. (and it was absolutely hilarious). April flew by, and before they knew it, May had arrived.

This visit was obviously going to be *it*. Kate and Christopher had already decided on an early January wedding, and this was the last time they would see each other before the six-months-til-the-day mark had passed. There were also only about two opportunities for him to propose during the weekend, before their one-year anniversary had passed, and while they weren’t working on something else, including a venue tour. (Yes, they booked a venue tour before they got engaged; it’s not weird. Shh.) He had also mentioned wanting to go on a picnic back in FEBRUARY; that’s not suspicious AT ALL.

The sun was shining big, bright, and beautiful on picnic day, and, armed with sandwiches and snacks from Sprouts for lunch and an important blue velvet bag, Christopher chose the sunniest bench overlooking the lake. The *exact* speech he made has since been forgotten (much to Kate’s consternation), but the vital topics were conveyed (obviously), the ring presented and accepted, and there began the countdown to the most important day of their lives.