Welcome! We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Like all great modern love stories, ours began with a swipe. We talked for a month or two before Kayla decided Bobby might be worth the risk of long distance. Somewhere between the endless texting and late-night phone calls, Kayla realized Bobby was genuinely kind, steady, and had a heart that showed up louder in actions than in speeches. Sweet? Absolutely. Slightly clueless sometimes? Also yes — but in the most endearing way. And while Kayla was carefully evaluating logistics (because of course she was), Bobby wasn’t trying to calculate the outcome. He just knew he didn’t want to lose what he was feeling. He knew she made everything feel lighter. He knew this felt different — not dramatic, not complicated… just right. In true Kayla fashion, she needed a “neutral testing ground.” If this was going to be a thing, it needed to be fair. So she insisted they meet somewhere between Dewitt and Bangor. After extensive research (one Google search) and confirming that neither of us are remotely fancy, we agreed a dive bar felt right. Enter: Duck In, Waddle Out. The name alone should’ve warned us. We pulled into the parking lot and immediately noticed sketchy people casually standing around with suitcases, an abandoned stroller, and more... No context. No explanation. Just vibes. Questionable vibes. Naturally, we went in anyway. Since neither of us had eaten dinner, we decided to stay for a couple drinks and “feel it out” because who doesn't love dive bar food!? That’s when the chef walked out of the kitchen… holding a chihuahua. Yes. From the kitchen. We locked eyes and silently agreed: this would only happen to us. It was either the worst decision we’d ever made… or the beginning of a very good story. Thankfully, it was the latter. We finished our drinks (because we’re polite Midwesterners) and left in search of food that did not involve kitchen chihuahuas. The next stop didn’t exactly solve our dinner situation either — but by then, dinner wasn’t really the point. We were laughing — the easy, unfiltered kind that happens when you’re not trying to impress someone. That night wasn’t about perfection. It was about realizing we could just be ourselves — sarcastic, slightly chaotic, and completely comfortable — and that was enough. As Bobby walked Kayla to her car, the evening ended with Kayla surprising him with a kiss in the streets of Kalamazoo — a bold move he absolutely did not see coming. From that moment on, this wasn’t just a story anymore. Over the next year, what started as a questionable dive-bar decision turned into something intentional. Bobby didn’t just show up for Kayla — he stepped into the everyday parts of life, too. And when it came to Owen, he didn’t force anything or try to be something he wasn’t. He just showed up — patient, consistent, and exactly who he is. And Kayla chose him right back. She showed him what real partnership looks like — steady, equal, and not based on what someone can offer or prove. Loving each other wasn’t about keeping score. It was about building something side by side. When you’re not just choosing a partner for yourself, but for your child too, the bar is high. This wasn’t one-sided. Bobby wasn’t just choosing Kayla — he was choosing all of it. And Kayla wasn’t just choosing love — she was choosing someone she trusted to build something steady and real beside her. In July 2023, Kayla and Owen made the move to Bangor, and what started as “let’s see how this goes” became something solid, intentional, and full of laughter. We’re still building, still growing, and still choosing each other — every day. The adventure didn’t end there — it just finally had the right team.