“You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” – Benjamin Mee in We Built a Zoo (2011)

It was shortly after Andy retired from the Navy and lo-and-behold who did he run into at Whidbey Coffee but Stacy Kulzewski? They had always gotten along, and as they laughed about things this day Andy thought to himself "You only have to brave for 20 seconds", so he asked her to dinner. After telling him "no", which he still teases her about...she had to fly out that day...they slowly started this incredible long distance relationship that the odds said wouldn't work, but fitted their personalities perfectly.

There were many "What city do you want to meet in?" conversations. One flies, the other drives. There were baseball games, hikes to invisible lakes, hikes to super clear lakes, swimming in glacial runoff rivers, softball games in Kansas, shepard's pie in Edinburgh, rescues in Houston, pigs, bonfires, summer days at the lake, winter days in front of the fire, boats, axes, Jack, Bailey, apendixes (or lack thereof), old school rock-n-roll, Stonehenge, and lots of memories that they wouldn't trade for the world.

God smiled upon them when Stacy was finally stationed in Whidbey again, and they could actually start dating in the same town. Somewhere in the middle of that they realized they were in love. Soon afterwards Andy had to ask Stacy another very important question, to which the answer was obviously YES.

Reception

Chicago Marriott Naperville