GUYS!!! We're Getting Married!

Long before they were happily engaged and cat parents of two naughty black cats, Glenna and Jaxon were best friends. Initially the two met each other in the fall of 2019 in the Coe College cafeteria during a Greek life pumpkin carving event. This ended, rather unfortunately, in ignoring one another's existence due to a certain someone's comment about “matching” dark haircuts and Gray t-shirts. It wasn’t until spring a few years later at an off-campus party at “Pink House” that those two would reconnect, laughing when recognizing who the other was. The roots of that real friendship began on a blustery Coe College Flunk Day in April. From then on it was talking every day, all day, nonstop. Whether it was connecting over tattoos, summer jobs spent in hot kitchens, learning of each other’s shared fantastic music taste, challenging the other to make art, or finally having someone each could willingly bounce their overly detailed silly ideas off of, their friendship quickly grew into a strong and mutual love… but neither was going to admit this one. It ultimately took these two until September of 2021, after a summer spent denying it, that we both admitted, “Okay.. maybe they're right.. we’re way more than just best friends..” And from then on, Glenna and Jaxon as an actual couple blossomed. It was a random Wednesday in February of 2024. Glenna and Jaxon were at one of their favorite cute little restaurants in downtown Cedar Rapids, Cobble Hill, to be exact. This was the night Jaxon would ask Glenna to marry him. Everything felt so intimate. We ordered a charcuterie board, a pork entree, and some fun drinks. Just short of 8 O’clock, Jaxon had the manager bring out an envelope with a pink piece of paper that spelled out “Glenna, Will you Marry Me?” and got down on his knee as quickly as he could! For a moment he struggled to pull the ring out of his pocket, and Glenna was left flabbergasted. Caught up in the whirlwind of emotions, Glenna forgot how to speak for once in her life… Jaxon nervously looked at Glenna until she realized she hadn’t even answered. She said yes while attempting to hold back tears. Glenna had always said she wanted an emerald ring and Jaxon was determined to find the perfect one, or rather create one. Jaxon slid the ring onto Glenna’s finger. It had 21 stones to signify that September of 2021: an emerald centerpiece, 8 peridot, and 12 diamonds. Glenna could hardly believe her eyes. The wedding planning began right there.