What's the best way to cook a frog? Very low, and very slow. Our story begins in 2016, since Ben had a keen eye for his frog-princess Mariotti from the start. But as the proverb suggests, he had to subtly collect a lot of small kindling to begin the low, slow process of setting Mariotti on fire. As Mariotti met new guys, went on dates, and kept Ben strictly in the "friend zone," she would still call Ben up to ask him for help. Each time she needed help on a task, Ben was there. He dropped any and all plans for a chance to lay more tinder and kindling. Mariotti needed a picture hung? Ben was there. Ben was there for Mariotti every chance he got. He collected one small stick of kindling after another, gathering a strong bundle. Therefore, this story doesn't really heat up until the fall of 2018. After several trips to Ikea, more pictures hung, and countless other tasks, Ben finally won his big chance: a “platonic” weekend trip to Charleston to meet Mariotti's parents. It was together, seeing her family with Ben, that Mariotti realized her feelings for him. And later interactions with her entire family confirmed these feelings even more. Her father's interest and approval of Ben, her mother's support, her sisters' joy, the way he fit in with her brothers-in-law, it all made her heart grow warmer and warmer. Their friendship warmed into dating, dating warmed to falling in love, and falling in love warmed to wanting to spend forever together. And here we are, hopping along, surviving a pandemic, and feeding fires. For our wedding, we are returning to the town that sparked the fire so that we may promise before God, family, and friends that we will every day say 'yes' to any task that provides kindling to this fire. We didn't start this fire, we are simply trying to say yes to Christ who graciously leads us to each other and continues to grow us and teach us each day.