Kara had been spending the day conducting what was called a "tech check" for unsuspecting Zoom-using clientele at the virtual event company she worked for. Little did they know, their tech checker's life would be changing forever in a matter of hours. Kara had plans that day. She didn't have a lot of plans a lot of days those days. It was a slow time of life. It was the days of Zoom dating. The days of too many remote work days in a row navigated entirely and successfully without pants. The days of Sunrise Salutations in a 250 sq ft apartment with ceilings too short for her arms to stretch their full length. Pants were needed for this day, however. She was going out in the world today... out for a second dose of her Covid vaccine. The world still felt fairly closed down. It was opening up for some people, but it didn't feel that way yet for Kara and her tiny life. Maybe it would a little with these fancy mRNA molecules swimming through her system now. She thought she'd try 'em out for a spin that night by meeting her date from 'Hinge' in person, for once. On the other side of the metroplex, sat a certain Phil who had therapy that day. What did this unassuming lad have to address in his session exactly? We can’t remember, we just remember Phil did that on Wednesdays. He had been taking a year off of graduate school unsure of the next step, so it was probably something related to that. Moving to Dallas posed some unexpected challenges between the agonies of academia, the miseries of moving across the country, and of course, the sorrows of singleness. Not yet sure if he’d resume school or just move back to Washington, he did figure it was worth it to try some new things and meet some new people that spring. He was looking forward to a date that night in Denton. Phil liked Denton. Phil thought he might like this date, too. Her dating profile spoke of travels, artsy things, a rescue dog, and a stop-motion video of a rubber ducky set to an original composition she was making. Who was she… Phil arrived in Denton and wandered momentarily on Oak St. but spotted Kara easily as he remembered her mentioning her new incidentally super short super purple hair after an at-home hair salon mishap. An awkward hug and a walk to the table at Eastside's backyard patio ensued, still waiting to take off the mask to become familiar with the look of each other's faces. Words were tossed back and forth, much like one would expect from a job interview. Nervous giggles were placed where answers to misheard questions were expected. Phil went for the bill and Kara didn't know just exactly how to feel about that. The date was sweet, the date was clumsy, but the date was worth a second date. A few short days later the two planned to meet up again in Dallas this time at the Dallas Arboretum. As Kara walked out of the tunnel of the parking garage, a red-headed figure awaited, again with only half a face to see. She still couldn't quite recall the look of his face, but in that moment, she noticed how his kind eyes smiled all by themselves. A walk continued up and around the garden paths. Words were exchanged and faces were remembered. Giggles landed where they were intended to. While Kara paid for her own lunch, Phil went in for the food left on her plate. She also didn't know what to think of that. The walk that started that day across bridges and through fields continued every day after. It led to the life they live today in a sweet home together in Dallas with their crazy rescue pup, Murphy. It led to a life of figuring out careers and dreams together. It led to an ever-growing sense of community as family and friends have doubled in size since joining lives. The walk continues this fall as their "status" catches up to their pace. They can't wait to see just how big this love can grow in a life together and couldn't be happier knowing so many loved ones will be there to help plant and nurture it with them.