We're getting married!

Our first interaction wasn't exactly magical, it was a burst of laughter during a time of uncertainty and isolation. We met during the COVID shutdown, playing grass volleyball with friends. Dakota was new to the island, having moved from California in May 2020. I abruptly left my college in Texas to do classes online at home. Like everyone else, my plans were all buss'up, but God had something better in mind. Looking for a way to connect with others, I joined a weekly volleyball group of friends at Kalawai Park. Dakota joined too. That's where we first met. He was new to the sport and didn't understand how the rotations worked. Trying to figure it out, he blurted out, "We rotate counter-clocker?" Everyone laughed and tried to help him out. Dakota broke the ice that day. We crossed paths the next week, again at a volleyball thing. I walked up to him and said, "Hey, clocker!" Looking back on that moment, he said I was flirting. I thought I was just being friendly. We still disagree to this day. You can ask him about what really happened. After that, he'd catch me on my way out from volleyball and we built a habit of talking for hours every week in the parking lot. A month of this and he asked me out on a... *drumroll*... hike. Dakota said he was a bit nervous at the time, I try not to joke about it too much. To his credit, on that hike, he asked to start dating. Throughout our interactions, we prayed for God's will and guidance. I referred Dakota to my parents, he came over for dinner, and the rest is history. Between lockdowns, sold-out toilet paper, and sweaty volleyball games; it was a beautifully strange time. All along, God was, and still is, writing our love story. Blessings, Rebecca <3

My side of this little love story is yes a little different. Rebecca and my story began before we even knew each other. At the time we both needed healing and time to spend with God. Little did we know of what His plans were for us and slowly He rolled it out like a scroll. I flew to the island on May 31st. My first job was tree trimming and I was essentially assigned to work alongside and to look out for one of the other workers. We called him “Bambi” because he was 19 years old, 6 '2 ft, maybe 160 lbs but would stumble all the time over twigs, rocks, ect. His name was Kai. Kai was a volleyball player. He would hold grass volleyball on Tuesdays and after the 3rd time or so of him asking if I wanted to play I finally went. Here trying to understand volleyball and the rules and rotations for the very first time wasn’t the easiest. Especially, when you are dehydrated and slightly delusional after a long hard day's work in the sun. On this Tuesday there were probably 12 of us on the field playing. It had been particularly quiet with very little talking besides me asking Kai question after question. For some reason my mind just wouldn't understand that all you do when a point is made, rotate to the right in a clockwise direction to the next position. After maybe the 2nd time Kai reminded me of what way to go it dawned on my delusional self “oh you rotate counter-clockwise!”. But i thought out loud and said “Oh you rotate counter-clocker!”. The ice was broken and unbeknownst to me my future bride was laughing. At the next volleyball event, someone said “Hey Clocker!” from behind. I turned around to find Rebecca with a cute smile and half laughing. Smiling back I said hello and she went along to her car which somehow was right next to my truck. Later, that night as everyone was leaving we ended up catching each other. We talked for hours and stargazed, counting the shooting stars as they went by. This formed into a habit which led to a hike and then finally dating after a brief interrogation from her parents and me cooking dinner maybe 3 times. Not a single thing that I would change. well....... maybe getting married sooner.