At approximately 8:50am on Tuesday, August 28, 2018, I saw Mary Mitchum for the first time. She was sitting at my new desk at McLean Presbyterian Church furiously making a last minute "Welcome" poster for me. It was my first day at my new job! You can imagine how intimidated I was, as a mere Children's Ministry Intern, to walk in and see one of the Assistant Directors sitting at my desk. By mid-September, I had a big crush on my boss. Big problem: We were on the same team at work and I couldn't ask her on a date until May 2019. So I waited. Everyday I sat approximately 10 feet away from a cute, hilarious, playful woman who was way out of my league. And yet, I could not shake the crush! Over Thanksgiving while I was at home, I tried to talk myself out of it - she's older than me, her little brother is one of my best friends (shoutout to Jay), and I'm definitely not cool enough for her. Luckily, I was unable to convince myself and I returned to DC determined that I would one day ask Mary Mitchum on a date. As I waited for the day I could ask her out, I thought long and hard about Mary. I saw the way she loved her friends. I experienced her diligence and care at work. I watched her play with kids at work. And most of all, I fell in love with her as I watched her love Jesus with all of her heart. On May 12, 2019, the big day finally came. After a long weekend that exhausted both of us, I got my chance at 6:45pm. As she was packing up to go home, I began asking her as many questions as I could think of, trying to gain the courage to ask her the Big Question. "How was your weekend? What did you do today? Why is the sky blue?" Things like that. Mary began to pick up her purse and I sensed the window was closing. "Okay okay, one last question, Mary..." I said desperately. "WHaaaAAATtttt?" Mary responded, clearly ready to go home and unamused by my barrage of questions. "When I get back from the beach, will you go on a date with me?" And...she said YES!