Surprisingly, we met on Match.com with Lars sending a "wink" to Dawn's profile. Dawn's account had expired so she decided to sign back up just to message Lars. We first exchanged messages, then texts and met for our very first date on June 16, 2017. We had dinner at Pane Vino and strolled the Big Spring Park downtown. Our dates usually had a short window of time (especially in the beginning) since this was during the time Dawn was caring for her mom during nights and weekends.

We had brunch at a downtown restaurant call The Revivalist followed by a walk in Big Spring Park, which was part of our first date. It was a rather nice and sunny day for November. We decided to stop for a visit in the Gazebo, which is located near the beautiful "red bridge" and the duck pond. Dawn was "people watching" while Lars began talking about our very long and very happy relationship... when, to Dawn's surprise, Lars reached into his suit pocket and he got down on one knee. Needless to say, Dawn was speechless, overwhelmed, and overjoyed... and seemed to take forever to say "YES"!!! Shortly after, we began phoning our boys to share our news.

Dawn and Lars have loved and held one another through great times and tough times. We've had a raft of wondrous times on our Runaway trips and at many great culture dates like the ballet, art exhibitions, formals, plays and concerts. We've held one another and mourned together losing 3 of our 4 parents during our courting. We've celebrated an Army graduation, a high school graduation and two college graduations with our sons. We've welcomed a daughter in law and two Wondrous Grandbabies. We got thru a pandemic together, and I think 6 surgical procedures of some type or magnitude. For better, for worse, in sickness and health and to a lesser degree for richer or poorer - we've been exploring the 'terrain' for 8 years, we think that with God's help we can do this!