“How would you describe our love story?”

“It was a warm sunny day in Weston, Missouri. Libby bought a plant and killed it immediately.”

“I forgot I did that. It was like an entire hydrangea and I left it on the porch in the heat.”

“And I still thought you were attractive.”

“You were MADLY in love.”

Deep into the summer of 2021, Eric and Libby both worked at a physical therapy company that neither work at now. Eric worked as— you’ll never guess— a physical therapist, and Libby as a marketer. Their paths crossed a few brief times before Eric asked for Libby’s number at a company party (after trying to impress her by showing her woodworking things he built and mountains he’s climbed. This tactic seemed to have worked...)

“At the very beginning of our first date I also asked ‘On scale of 1-10, one being you’re looking for a cool chill-girl bff, and 10 being this a romantic date, where would you rank yourself?’ and you said ’Ten. Definitely ten.’”

“I knew what I wanted!”

“I don’t know if I can write that.”

Their love story started in KC— which is honestly a play of fate, or perhaps God, because Eric is from California, and Libby didn’t even have plans to move to KC until a week before she did. They weren’t even on the same dating apps and lived in completely opposite sides of the city.

“And then on our fourth date we went to a Royals Game against the Astros just to boo them and I was the only one booing in the stadium”

“Which REALLY stressed me out. You may boo people in the big city but it was simply unheard of for me. Even if the Astros are CHEATERS.”

“Right!!!”

“What really wooed me though was your cooking. And your tomato garden. And our time watching Ted Lasso together, and you would always always walk me to my car.”

Eric heeded the call of traveling Physical Therapy and thus began the long distance— which in retrospect SUCKED. But every day Libby and Eric would do a post-work call and a goodnight call. And the two managed to jetset regularly and spend a few days with each other. When Libby switched positions and started working remotely, these times lengthened.

“Eric, I think we should give them fun anecdotes.”

“Like that when we were in Maine you absolutely had to see the cryptid museum and they were displaying actual Happy Meal toys?”

“My long term goal now is to open a cryptid museum/coffee shop because it was terrible and truly anything could have been better than that. We’ll link the GoFundMe.”

“Or the time I taught you how to ride a bike?”

“NO. I knew how to ride a bike. You just taught me how to not hit people...”

From Humbolt, CA to Exeter, NH (and then Virginia, Ohio, and Iowa)— the two trekked all over the place and learned more about the world… and each other. (AWWWWWW)

Eric moved back to Kansas City and long distance suddenly seemed like a faraway impossibility. Which brings us back to Weston, MO. While Libby and Eric had returned to their first date spot since, well, the first date, Libby had a sneaking suspicion that this time was different. Eric wasn’t nervous at all why do you ask?

“Nope. Not at all.” (He was nervous)

They walked to a cute bridge on a brisk day, and with a “Speaking of the rest of our lives…”

Eric got to one knee.

And then they collectively have no idea what was said or what happened but Libby started weeping immediately and said “Yes!”