In the autumn of 2016, David was whipping up the fluffiest pancakes and crispiest hash browns on his side of the Mississippi without a clue that his life was about to change forever. When Catherine started waiting tables to sock away money for her upcoming Masters' Program at Minnesota State-Mankato, the two near-literally bumped into each other. Catherine almost immediately accused David of being "too nice, almost in a serial killer-y way." With sweet talk like that, how could he resist? After enduring the near-constant attempts of their coworkers to set them up, their first date began with an impromptu invitation from Catie. She had just gotten off shift and asked if David would like to accompany her to deposit her tips from the night at the local bank. He agreed, and a few minutes later, he saw the headlights of her car as she pulled into the small parking lot of his apartment. A five-minute drive to the after-hours ATM turned into a trip across town and beyond as the two chatted, shared their favorite music, and, whether they knew it or not, kick-started the most important relationship of their lives. They both agreed to a more traditional date at the Como Zoo Conservatory the following evening. Days and weeks passed, and Catherine was accepted to a graduate program in Mankato. David wasn't about to let her slip away that easy, so the two got themselves a small shared apartment on a quiet street in town and went all-in on the whole "falling in love" business. A few years went by, a Masters' degree was earned, and the happy couple, now sweating it out in the desert heat of Tucson, Arizona, planned a trip to one of their shared bucket-list spots: the California Redwood Forests. Two days of driving brought them from the low mountains of the Southwest to their campsite, nestled amid the soaring trees and foggy hills of the Pacific Coast. Throughout their hikes, trips to town, and nights spent tending the fire, David did his best to hide the many times he patted one particular pocket of his cargo pants from Catherine's savvy gaze- he was waiting for the perfect moment, and he didn't want to spoil the surprise. Finally, on their last full day in what has since become and will forever be one of their favorite parts of this beautiful country, on the rocky bank of the Smith River just outside of Stout Grove, David got down on one knee, pulled the ring as quietly as he could from his velcro-shut side pocket, and asked Catherine if she would marry him. Since you're reading this, it's a safe bet that she said yes.