Tamra's Version: In 2014, the hardest winter was about to hit us. The Long Island Boston Harbor Shelter had just closed. Sara and I were part of a religious leaders coalition to attempt to use our churches as shelter. She had a lot of passion, a lot of voice, a lot of presence (you know I'm right). We didn't get the city's support to do so, but Sara insisted that she could open her doors and that she would stay with them every night. I both saw her persistence for justice, her stubbornness, and the very different ways we run church. ;) We began a friendship that (I think) respected the different ways we were subversive in our churches. Several years later, while being home for the summer from seminary, we deepened our friendship and by the end of the summer began a new adventure together. Sara's Version: So, I don't remember any of that, except being right of course (cause we were sitting amidst some of the richest churches in the city. You know they could have opened their doors)! Anyways, I can say that this all might not have happened without Rob Mark and Pam Werntz. Rob invited me to be a part of the Long Island group and from that Pam invited us to do a joint (ecumenical) Maundy Thursday service (that is in its sixth year now). I remember sitting on the stage in my gym clothes, for once on time, and in walks the parish administrator. They are incredible - impeccable style, absolutely gorgeous, 100% organized and killing their job. I didn't know gender or anything else. I just remember being struck by this human. Turns out, it was Tamra. duh. Three years later when she's coming back into the city for the summer, I invited her to a game night, hoping to set her up with friend crushing on her. That friend met the love of their life the night before the event. Bemused, I was like, well she is too cool for me but maybe we can become actual (not just facebook) friends. At the end of the summer, I realized I had fallen for her. The rest is history, or her-story.
Each wanted to make the other feel special, so they decided on having two proposals. Sara being the over-eager one, the two agreed that Tamra would propose first. Sara might have ignored this. If she hadn't proposed by the second anniversary, S planned to propose on their date-iversary (Aug 19) where they went on their first date (The Beehive), surrounded by family and friends to surprise T. T was also planning. She told one of her best friends Cole and Catie what she was planning. Along with a few others. During our moving party in June, while Cole was standing in the uhaul, S handed him the engagement ring she planned to give T a few months later since she can't keep a secret. PSA: when you are both planning secret proposals, your friends who both know the secret MIGHT get stressed. At our house warming party, Tamra encouraged S to not wear her usual gym clothes (fair) and informed her that she had written a welcome speech (actually not at all surprising). While S went outside to let someone in, T gathered everyone in the living room. As S and Katie walked in, T asked if S was ready for the welcome part. So S, sat and cracked jokes while T talked about creating family, home, and community. Then, T said this is the ACTUAL PROPOSAL! Not just a random other time when I (T) ask you (S) to be her wife! And of course, it was in the chopsticks drawer. Cole, holder of said S to T ring, had actually brought the other ring with him, so "skillfully" handed it off as T was talking about champagne and Sara did a reverse proposal. Don't worry. T still got her two year anniversary/engagement party at the beehive. AND HER SPEECH (most important). Most importantly, the answer was yes. always yes. forever yes.