Story Time!

Once upon a time, Laura and Rob met for the very first time, at the birthday party a of mutual friend.  Here we have photographic evidence documenting that auspicious meeting.  As you can see, they both appear to be happy about it.

Some time after this meeting, Laura was standing in her kitchen, glancing contentedly through her westward window into the setting sun and admiring the flowers in her flower box.  Suddenly, a renegade bird dive-bombed the windowpane with its sharp, pointy beak.  The bird tragically lost its life in the descent, and landed in the window box.  Laura was saddened by this event, and in a rare moment of internet emotional transparency (IET, for short), she asked if anyone would be willing to help her dispose of said bird in the most humane and dignified manners possible, as well as offer emotional support for the bereaved... window box.  In a matter of minutes, Rob kindly offered his humble animal removal services.  (Ask him about his group discounts!)  She baked him cookies out of gratitude.  Need we say more?

Actually, yes.  Because love, like any invasive species, grows.  Some months later, Laura was moving from one apartment to another upstairs in the same unit.  Rob happened to be available to help Laura move earlier than any of the other volunteers, and the two of them managed to move everything upstairs in just a few hours.  Success!  They were so impressed with themselves that they started eating pizza and watching movies together.  Then Rob drove Laura to the airport at Christmas.  Then they started writing back and forth.  Then he asked her if she was dating anyone (else).  Then they spent more time together.  Then they started dating.  They went to other people's weddings, planted a garden, read books aloud together and with friends.  Rob came to Wisconsin the next Christmas and spent an entire week cold and pent up indoors with Laura's family.  Somewhere along the line, they had grown in love.  Fortunately, this occurred at relatively the same time for both parties.  Much, much later, after lots of cooking and grocery shopping and movie-watching together, there was a declaration of love.  Much, much later, after another visit to Wisconsin, a cross-country road trip, another planting season, and lots of other people's weddings, there was a proposal.  And now here you are, reading about their romance, and anticipating a modest, worshipful celebration and solemnization of their relationship.  Aren't you glad?

* We are saddened when we consider that the bird never lived to see Rob and Laura's relationship come to fruition. We like to think it died happy, with that fleeting understanding that is sometimes given to those who make the ultimate sacrifice, knowing that it was worth it all in the end to bring these two lovebirds together.