Danielle and Kiersten met at work. It was a warm summer day. Kiersten was shadowing Danielle for a day in a program exchange experiment their previous employers were doing. That day was the beginning of a friendship that would end up being so much more.

Danielle and Kiersten saw each other just about every day at work, and texted each other just about all day, every day. While they worked in different programs, they did share the same office. Danielle would come in every morning, black nitro brew iced coffee in hand, and say good morning to Kiersten while handing off the coffee. It was about two months after becoming friends when Danielle started to realize her feelings for Kiersten were growing to be a bit more than platonic.

Many hours were spent hashing out the details of the relationship. Kiersten knew that Danielle wanted more, but she also knew that she was not there yet. Boundaries were set, and expectations were discussed. Danielle and Kiersten would remain just friends for over a year. Danielle, of course, respected all of Kiersten's wishes to keep the relationship platonic. However she also made sure that Kiersten knew she was still interested in more if/when Kiersten was ready.

It was Kiersten's birthday. Danielle had taken Kiersten out to adopt a kitten earlier that day. It was evening sometime when the pair were sitting on the couch just watching some TV and cuddling with the new little bundle of fur. Kiersten explained to Danielle how much she had been thinking about their relationship, and how she had prayed for the right answers to all of her questions. Kiersten said, "I think I'm finally ready." Danielle asked, "To what? Be my girlfriend?" Kiersten gave Danielle a sly smile and said, "I don't know. Are you asking me?" With a chuckle Danielle asked, "Kiersten Ashley Matteo, will you be my girlfriend?" Of course at that point Kiersten said yes, and the two were finally officially official.

Danielle and Kiersten were sitting on the couch one evening just talking. Danielle was disappointed in travel plans that would probably have to be canceled due to COVID, and how that screwed up the way she was going to propose. (Yes, Kiersten knew it was coming. She just didn't know when or how.) Danielle had planned to propose in San Francisco at the end of April while they were there. She had a "love book" made of all the reasons she loved Kiersten and on the last page had the proposal written there. As the talking continued Danielle finally just grabbed the book and gave it to Kiersten. Danielle told Kiersten she could read all but the last page, so Kiersten did. Of course, more talking ensued after that. Kiersten was sitting opposite Danielle on the coach saying something, and Danielle thought to herself, "I have never been more in love with this woman then I am right now." Danielle told Kiersten to hold her thought, and ran back to her bedroom to grab the ring. When she came back to the room, Danielle got down on one knee in front of the couch and asked Kiersten to read the last page. After reading the last page Danielle finally asked the question.. "Kiersten Ashley Matteo, will you marry me?" Kiersten said yes.