Kate's friends encouraged her to create a profile on the dating app Hinge and gave her the assignment to go on three dates over the course of a month's time. The three dates were... well let's save those horror stories for another time.

Jason was her fourth date.

We exchanged messages through the app for a few days, after which Jason proposed an outdoor coffee date, along the Fox River in Batavia. Jason planned to bring his camp cookstove and coffee essentials and Kate would meet him on a park bench at the Fabyan Forest Preserve.

It was January.

Kate approached the picnic table and noticed snow had been cleared from the bench, creating a place for her to sit; definite bonus points. We talked while Jason brewed the coffee, and as he began to pour each of us a cup, he realized he had forgotten mugs; luckily, we each had a travel mug in our cars.

After hours of talking, the cold set in and our toes became numb.

After we said our goodbyes, Kate received a text from Jason on the drive home. He told her how much he enjoyed their time together and proposed a second date. This was like the opposite of ghosting and a little shocking, but welcomed surprise for Kate.

After dates two and three, and probably four through twelve, we began to know each other and realized we shared many of the same ambitions, interests and humor. Jason won the puppies over immediately, and Kate followed shortly after.

In our time together since, we've been fortunate to take on many adventures and we can't wait to share in our most important one with you!