Katrina: We started talking online in December of 2018 and when Kyle didn’t want to meet right away because of the holidays and having family obligations, I thought that was the end of that! But once the holidays were over he reached out and our first date was scheduled. We met at a bowling alley (that’s small town central PA for you) and played a few games. Kyle was quick to show me his prowess when it came to bowling and I was very obviously bad at bowling. By the end of the night, we were just sitting and talking about our lives that had brought us to that moment. Kyle: It all started when we found each other online during December of 2018. It a slow start at the beginning since it was the holidays and all I cared about was spending time with family since I hadn’t gotten to see them too much with being in the military. We continued to have conversations that put smiles on our faces and traded epic cheesy jokes that made our stomach hurt. After the holidays were over, I had more time on my hands and decided it was time to meet up so that we could get to know each other more. I asked her out on a date! When she had asked where to meet, I suggested that we should go bowling. As we both got to the bowling alley and got out of our vehicles, my first thought was ‘wow this girl is out of my league’. We played a total of three games; she won the first and I won the second. Before we began the third game, we agreed that if I won, we would kiss and if I lost, there would be nothing. I won the third game but being the gentleman I am, I told her that we didn’t have to kiss. When it was time to say our goodbyes, she said a bet was a bet and gave me a kiss. I knew then with the amazingly fun time we had, all the laughing and the things we had in common, that she was a keeper.

Katrina: This requires a little background - Kyle had decided in April of 2022 that he was going to apply for jobs in Florida (we were living in middle Georgia at that time). Not wanting to be unemployed if he got a job, I applied for some positions and figured timing would all line up perfectly. Four days later, I had a job and Kyle…..didn’t. Yet. So with a start date, Nick and Darlene (Kyle’s parents) graciously allowed me to move in with them while Kyle lived in GA and jumped through hoops to get his job on the Naval Base in FL. So come June 2022, Kyle and I were doing long distance (again)! Friday, August 5: I got home from work, went for a run and then Nick, Darlene and I went to dinner at Chilis (one of my faves). As we drove home from dinner, Nick asked Darlene if she wanted to go for a bike ride. Thinking that I was also invited, I quickly said no thank you as I had to work my first weekend starting the next day and wanted to get in bed ASAP (I’m a grandma). Nick informed me I wasn’t invited anyway and it was settled. So we get home and Darlene and Nick leave for their bike ride. A short while later, I get a call from Nick stating that Darlene fell off her bike and he needed me to come get her and her bike. I thought nothing of this and got into my car and drove to the pool/dock in their neighborhood. When I arrived, they were nowhere to be found. I called them and they said they had walked out to the dock to see the sunset. Thinking to myself, “obviously Darlene isn’t that hurt if she’s wandering down the boardwalk to the dock to watch the sunset” I set off in their direction. When I got there, they encouraged me to walk allllllll the way to the dock. I thought they had lost their minds but eventually I recognized my handsome boyfriend standing and waiting for me on the dock and holding a sign that said “Marry me?” Kyle got down on one knee (padded by his flip flop). If I’m being honest, I blacked out as soon as he started talking but I’m pretty sure he asked me to marry him otherwise we wouldn’t be here! I said yes and the rest is history!