To make a long story short, we both went to College Station for the TAMU-clemson football game on September 8, 2018. If 1 of 2,012 circumstances had been different, we probably never would have wound up in the same place (Duddley's Draw) at the same time (last call). But the stars aligned in our favor that night, and Rebecca approached Doug quite boldly (which surprises no one, although a hint of liquid courage may have been involved). Before we knew it, we'd been talking for hours at an all-night diner. Doug remembers that Rebecca tried to order decaf coffee with soy milk at The Kettle. Rebecca remembers that Doug's hair was tall and he held great conversation. After parting ways, Doug texted Rebecca asking for dinner in Houston the next weekend, and we've been together ever since. Rebecca now knows better than to ask if an all-night greasy spoon carries soy milk, and Doug is still a great conversationalist, with tall hair every now and then.

To kick off Rebecca's birthday weekend celebrations, Doug asked Rebecca to brunch on Saturday, June 27. Doug said he had a place in mind and drove them both to Discovery Green. Doug told Rebecca that the brunch would in fact be a picnic, and pulled a cooler and blanket out of his car to further the ruse. Rebecca was game, but figured they should seek the slightly-higher ground in the park to try to catch a breeze (any breeze!) in the stifling Houston summertime. Rebecca set out with purpose to the place she had in mind, and Doug walked slowly behind, trying to catch sight of his pre-arranged photographer hiding in the bushes. Finally seeing him, Doug suggested they take a different path through the park, which Rebecca found not at all unusual because Doug liked to do things to break Rebecca out of her "comfort zone" (whatever that means). What Rebecca did find unusual was Doug setting down the cooler and blanket and starting to search his pockets for something. At this point, Rebecca realized that something was up. He asked, she said yes, a couple who were out on a morning stroll applauded, and all of a sudden the crushing humidity and high temperatures were forgotten. The future Copelands had a future to plan.