This is the story from Jake's perspective:

It was the fall of 2020... I was playing in a co-ed softball tournament. Just before my game was about to start, a girl on my team mentioned that another girl approached her and asked if I was "available". This intrigued me, and I asked who this girl was. She pointed over yonder at a beautiful woman who I now know to be Lauren. I had to stand up on the bench in the dugout to get a better look. I said, "Ya she is cute!"

I had briefly met Lauren previously in the summer while subbing during a random softball game, but I hadn't really talked to her. After her expression of interest at the tournament, I made an effort to talk with her after both of our teams had a break. She was very sweet, and obviously a special kind of person. I played it cool though, and we parted ways with a friendly "good-bye".

In the next few weeks of fall softball league, I made a habit of showing up early or staying late to catch Lauren's game, and to have a chance to talk to her. I was playing this quite slowly, to the disappointment and ridicule of my teammates. Eventually, Lauren asked if I would be able to sub for her team next week, and she asked for my phone number. This was a pivotal and life-changing moment. Had my pursuit of Lauren been left only in my hands, it could have been years before I would have progressed to a phone number exchange. Fortunately, Lauren did not grow bored or frustrated with my pace of pursuit and made both the 1st and 2nd moves.

Our first official date was lunch at a bar to watch the Denver Broncos play the Patriots. Two surprising things happened: the Broncos won the game, and we talked through the entire game and I didn't care about it at all. I was quite distracted by Lauren. Our second date was at Lauren's apartment. She invited me over for "breakfast for dinner" and dazzled me with the best burnt-baked-bacon that I have ever had. We also had our first kiss that night. I was 100% sure that we had something special that night,

Things really took off from there. We have had so many fun experiences since then and I still enjoy all of the time we spend together. There are so many more fun stories, but I'll keep it to origin story for now. And I'll forever be grateful to Lauren for kick-starting things for us - I still might not have asked for her number yet.

Photos