Most of you have heard this story by now. It's an unlikely one, so it gets told frequently. We met at the Thanksgiving table of Wendy and Brian Neal, John's sister-in-law and brother. Kim had been invited because she was in town for the holiday, and had already celebrated family Thanksgiving earlier in the month. John had invited himself because November was a nice time to leave Ohio and enjoy nicer Phoenix weather. Wendy swears that it wasn't a set up. :) It was love at first sight. For Kim anyway. John took a bit more convincing, as he wasn't interested in a long-distance relationship. Kim made the logical argument that travel on Southwest was cheap, and after all, Ohio was just a few states away... Being from California, Kim didn't appreciate that Ohio is not next to Texas. (That's Oklahoma, btw.) Fast-forward a short ten years later, and here we are. Ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, and all of the holidays, together for as long as we are able.

Kim planned a dinner during a gorgeous cruise on the Seine and proposed to John under the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. And in that beautiful setting, John replied as follows in his inimitable style, "Are you kidding?!" (No.) "Do you have a ring?!" (Yes.) "Can I see it?" (No. It's a long story involving Kim measuring John's finger in his sleep, the ring size being wrong, lost luggage, and John ending up wearing Kim's tigers eye ring until the actual ring arrived.) "Are we getting married this week?!" (No.) With all of that, John didn't ever actually say yes. However, after their return home, John bought Kim a ring and proposed to her right back. She had the courtesy to say "yes" without putting him through a barrage of questions.