Our story is filled with a little bit of luck, a lot of perseverance, and Philadelphia sports everywhere in-between. Through every step and stage of our relationship, we have always been all in for each other.

David and Kathleen met in the Fall of 2012 at Dickinson Track and Field practice, but it wasn’t until February of 2021 that their romance shot out of the blocks. Kathleen and Dave are both die-hard Philadelphia sports fans, so Kathleen messaged David about the biggest news of the Eagles offseason: the Carson Wentz trade. Playing into Dave’s love for the former Eagles Quarterback, Kathleen took a gamble and told David, “See ya, Carson! Your time in Philly is over.” And with that hot take, their relationship took flight.

One of Kathleen’s favorite qualities of Dave is his commitment to going all in for what he believes in. In April 2021, Dave moved from Fairbanks, Alaska for temporary duty in Augusta, Georgia. During Dave's week of leave in between assignments we met up at MGM National Harbor Casino for our first date. We ended the night going all in on a hand of Blackjack, and hitting a 21! With luck (and a lot more money) on our side, we committed to long-distance dating that spanned two years, two continents, twelve states, and at least fifteen Phillies, Eagles, and 76ers games.

We are especially grateful for our year together during Kathleen’s fellowship through the University of Delaware; she moved her whole life (including her Border Collie, Harper!) down to Clarksville, Tennessee. During that time, Kathleen finished and defended her PhD dissertation, we bought a house, and we adopted our two cats, Iggy and Moose. Most recently, Dr. Lyons started her job as a professor of Rhetoric & Composition at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and CPT Cook deployed in support of his unit’s mission in Europe.

Our love story is filled with great luck and even better timing. It is also a story defined by steadfast patience, unwavering loyalty, and fierce commitment. Thank you for supporting us, loving us, and being part of our story that spans multiple continents. We cannot wait to celebrate our wedding with you!

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

(1 Corinthians 13:7)

“Keep the main thing the main thing.”

(#1 Jalen Hurts 11-6)

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