We're so excited to celebrate with you

Though we first met at a Halloween party, where we laughed, flirted, and enjoyed each others company for most of the night, we didn’t have our official first date until over a month later. The first stop was lunch at a local sushi place. We exchanged "getting-to-know-you" questions, drank green tea, and found that our favorite sushi rolls - shrimp tempura and sweet potato - lined up rather nicely. Nate picked up the tab (though this may have been less about being a gentleman and more about disguising the fact that sushi was half-off for lunch that day...) Next was the Dayton Dollar Book Swap, housed in an old warehouse north of the city. Truth be told, this was a bit of a gamble, due both to the 'different' location and the nerdiness of it all. But it clicked for both of us, and we spent a lovely little time perusing the used book selection. There was one rule: each of us had to pick out a book that we really wanted to read, which we would then exchange and read the other's selection. Molly picked out a romantic piece set in post-WWI France. Nate picked out a Texas crime mystery. The better book quickly became apparent to both of us. Finally, we walked along Riverscape, the metro park in downtown Dayton along the Great Miami River. Holding hands, enjoying the sights, and smelling the flowers, both of us considered it a successful first date. And when the moment was right - a kiss! The date came to an end, but both of us were looking forward to date #2!

One of our favorite "relationship things" is going on adventures together. One of the best adventures is to go to a new town for the weekend and just explore! Our favorite city/adventure was Nashville, Tennessee. The food. The atmosphere. The music! We snuck away over a three-day weekend, finding a cute little Airbnb right downtown. This allowed us to roam freely about and see what the city had to offer. We stopped at a blues bar and enjoyed the amazing blues band playing, as well as good cajun-style food. We visited the County Music Hall of Fame and learned a lot. We also visited the heart of country music - the Grand Ole Opry, and took the tour under the weight of tradition. We ate hot chicken and country-fried chicken. We took in blues grass music at a tiny bar. And we discovered a love for bonuts that is rivaled only by our love for each other.

One Friday, Molly received an invite from her Sister-in-Law, Natalie, for dinner and some shopping. She happily accepted. But little did Molly know that the invite was classic subterfuge, for Natalie was in fact Nate's co-conspirator! With Molly now conveniently out of the house for a few hours, Nate was able to set the stage for the big question. He rearranged the living room, draped cozy string lights about the room, placed flowers in key locations, and put the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong on the speakers. His final piece - a plethora of postcards, hung from the ceiling with red ribbons, each and every one containing a phrase, a quote or a poem that was significant to/from the courtship and relationship. When Molly returned home, she walked in through the front door and immediately into this scene. She slowly made her way through the forest of postcards, reading each one. And when she reached the end, there was Nate, waiting for her. He spoke some words (nervously prepared) about how much Molly and her love meant to him. He went down on one knee, opened the ring box, and asked Molly if she would marry him. She said yes!