We are getting married!

It was a freezing cold day in the West Palm Beach campaign office. If you know Brette then it will come as no surprise that she was freezing in the campaign office. She may or may not have had stand off or two with the office manage over her illicit space heater. Brette first noticed Rob immediately in his Columbia fleece zip up jacket (indoors in the heat of summer in Florida). She knew immediately that he could potentially be the lynchpin to fix the freezing office temperature. Brette walked up to Rob and noted that he was wearing a rather heavy jacket for the indoors and asked if he was cold in the office too. Rob shared his displeasure of the freezing temperature. Brette knew she had made a real connection. She begged him to ask the office manager to turn the heat up - she figured if a guy asked then the request might be considered more seriously. Due to Rob's kind and non confrontational disposition, he never made the request. Brette, however, was relentless in per pursuit of fixing the office temperature after her space heater was confiscated. She yet again pleaded with Rob to say something. In an attempt to prove that the office was at an abnormally cold temperature, Brette purchased a two pack of digital thermometers and gave one to Rob. Brette often checked in at Rob's cubical to see what his thermometer read to keep tabs on the temperature but to also to keep tabs on him because despite his unwillingness to report the miserably cold temperature to the building manager, Brette discovered that while Rob had very cold hands, he also had a very very warm heart that made up for it. The temperature was never adjusted and we all froze until the bitter end, for all those still reading. But we are getting married! <3

In the middle of a hurricane barreling towards us in Florida, Rob and I went on our very first date at the Breakers in West Palm Beach, FL. (After about a month of will he/won't he ask her out). The dinner, during the busiest campaign season, turned into a nearly 5 hour date with a small break for national field call in the middle. I left that date and immediately knew how incredible Rob was and gushed to a friend the whole drive home. But by the time I got home, I panicked and decided it was too good to be true and it wouldn’t work. Thankfully I decided not to be too crazy and just asked him on a second date that same night for the next day. Thankfully, he said yes. We went for something a little more his speed with a strip mall dive bar which also turned into a several hours long date (and our first kiss). Fast forward a little and now we get to spend the rest of our lives together!

A DIY project was what could have ended it all but was instead the foundation to the future. Brette is a handy lady that was determined to replace the wood deck in her backyard - with or without help. One Sunday, when Rob was out out golf, Brette ripped out every board of the little deck much to Rob's surprise when he returned home. She had managed the demolition all on her own. Brette then devised a plan to self pour a concrete pad in the place of the deck. She watched a youtube video and the project was off and running. On one Friday night, Brette showed up to the Home Depot to pick up her 60 60-lbs bags of concrete and additional tools that she has had ordered online for pick up. When they asked where her truck was to load with a forklift she knew immediately this project had taken a turn. Brette called Rob and asked if he could come help transport the bags. That also was not a good idea. Brette eventually realized she loved Rob more than the fight so she rented a box truck in the parking lot. Rob also was so kind to realize someone would have to carry all 60 of the 60-lbs bags to the back of the house (a center rowhome). Brette thinking quickly on her toes booked a task rabbit for the morning to unload the truck. During the building of the patio form Brette and Rob learned a lot about communication styles. Brette was adamant about cleaning up the wires and other things coming from her house and asked Rob if he knew what one of the wires was and if she could cut it. His response "I would not cut anything". Brette was relentless and asked again and then asked for the best spot to cut it. Rob, against his better judgement, shared the best spot to cut it but also clarified he still doesn't think we should cut anything. Brette cut it anyways. About 20 minutes later Rob discovered there was no wifi in the house. We cut the wifi. It was the final four basketball game that night and we had no internet to watch. Rob was very patient and kind. Fast forward - the patio was not completed that weekend. It wasn't completed for several months after Brette hired someone professional to actually do it. But it is lovely now. The patio is the foundation for our future and the most magical proposal.

On a Friday night after work, Brette walked in the front door and found a chair with flowers and a note propped up that said “read before you do anything else”. Brette read the most romantic note of her entire life where Rob told her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Brette. He closed out the note saying that he was outside on the patio and if I wanted to go freshen up first, “what’s another 20 minutes” with the rest of our lives together. Brette couldn’t wait another 30 seconds. Brette walked out to the patio strung up with twinkle lights all over, all the furniture removed except a table with the most lovely flowers, and music playing Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. Rob got down on one knee and asked Brette to marry him. Brette was speechless for one of the very very few moments of her life. Rob even had two hidden cameras to record it all and “Marry Me Chicken” waiting in the crockpot for dinner. Every detail was intentional, sentimental, and just perfect - just like Rob.