Don and I both started working at First Presbyterian Church, Boulder, aka "First Prez", around June 2017. We slowly started to get to know each other as we crossed paths. Don was managing the kitchen and doing custodial work, while I started helping upstairs with the local missions team. As I learned about his down-to-earth, be-who-you-are, personality, I took a liking to getting tea from the kitchen in the morning. His wonderful morning greeting, cheerfulness and hugs lifted me up! I began to crave seeing him each morning before I started working. Eventually, I asked him if he wanted to go to a movie with me. Then he came to my office and invited me to use a co-worker's season tickets to the Colorado Rapids (soccer). I said, "Yes" right away. We started frequenting CU Women's soccer games and went to dinner, maybe two times that fall. When I left for China in November, he made a point to tell me, with his full heart, how he would miss me when I was gone. I melted. By December, I was determined to find out if we had potential. I sat him down to ask him if we should date. He said he couldn't imagine loving again... Then the next week he started flirting with me. On Christmas, 2018, we had our first kiss!

Yeah, I did (start flirting with Becky). She was lingering around the kitchen longer and longer after getting her tea. When she sat me down to ask me if we were meant to date, I said, "I don't think I can love again and I don't think I am lovable." The following week, she was gently and firmly still interested in me, which surprised and encouraged me. It didn't turn her off, turn her away and deter her. We enjoyed each other's company, had fun together, especially taking walks on Boulder's great open space trails, even in the snow! On Christmas night, we finally had time for just us and I was planning to wait until New Year's Eve to give her a kiss, but the moment was too good to pass up. So I didn't.

We love serving at church together, hanging around the youth, international women, and worshiping God together. We LOVE to grow plants together, hike together, cook and Sabbath together. We like to "just be". Don loves history and Becky loves to learn from Don. We both love talking about human anatomy, from physical therapy to microbiology. We love to pray together and thank God regularly for our transformative relationship.

When Don and I found each other, we quickly discovered that we each have broken pasts in the world of relationships. Don was married before and has three wonderful daughters. In 2010, he lost his marriage, career and home. Becky has dated numerous men with the hopes and dreams of marriage, each unrealized. In each other, we have found safety, love, much grace and deep healing. We know this is just the beginning of God's goodness to us. We embrace our new joy and hope for life with each other and with Jesus.

Don speaking: I have always liked the view from the Flagstaff Amphitheater (an overlook in the Flatirons). It reminds me of the phrase from the Bible, "to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ", and how I may like to use that location as a place to propose marriage to Becky. So, I was looking for an excuse to get her there and came up with a sunrise breakfast picnic on Leap Day, because I work on Saturdays and come home tired most nights of the week. Becky was enthusiastic. She brought hot tea and I brought hot pancakes, syrup and whipped cream. We walked up the Park road as the sun was rising because the gate was close for winter. We reached the Amphitheater just after sunrise and starting eating. A few moments later, I reminded Becky of the verse and got down on one knee, opened the box that held her Great-Grandmother's ring, and asked her to be my wife. Becky speaking: I said, "Yes", right away and noticed that he didn't hear me because he was still talking. I said, "Yes", again and then realized I needed to wait for him to stop talking. Then he said at the end, "Will you be my wife?" and I said, "YES!". I later told him that I said, "yes", because he is the most gracious person to me, and then I got teary in joy. We took the leap of faith on Leap Day! Then Don had to go to work. (And I had meetings that day, too.)