We met in a time when the internet still felt like a frontier, on Yahoo chat, of all places. We talked for a couple of weeks over the phone before ever meeting face to face. When we finally decided to meet, it was the Red Robin in Des Moines. Eric brought his young son Ethan along, and  Courtni showed up with a broken foot.

Eighteen years later, what started in a chatroom and a Red Robin booth has grown into a life that’s filled with laughter and enduring love.