How They Met

The two families first became acquainted when Kathleen began attending Faith Community Church, where the Forbes family attended, her sophomore year in high school. Although David was already away at college by this time, she became good friends with Scott, his younger brother. During this time David and Kathleen met a few times, but their paths didn’t cross very often.

It wasn’t until August of 2006 that the two of them became friends. At this time Kathleen was beginning nursing school and was offered a flexible part-time job at the same office where David was working. Their boss, a member of Faith Community, was surreptitiously trying to get them together, so she continually provided ways for them to have contact. They became easy friends, but at the time Kathleen had a long-distance boyfriend unbeknownst to David. It wasn’t until a few days before they broke up that Kathleen mentioned him to David for the first time. A week after the breakup, David asked her out. Unprepared for such a turn of events, Kathleen asked for time to think about it. They continued to be friends for a month or two more before going out on their first date January 27, 2007.

The Proposal

Every year the youth group at Faith Community puts on a “Sweetheart Banquet” as a fundraiser for the summer mission trip. In 2007 David and Kathleen attended together at the beginning of their relationship. According to Kathleen, even though they had been dating for a few weeks already, it was the first night that she realized she was truly interested in a serious relationship with him.

The day of the banquet David and Kathleen spent the entire day together at his house doing schoolwork. In the evening as they were getting ready, David’s dad called to ask if they would swing by David’s parents’ house on their way to the church to let out the dog, Niko. His parents live only a minute from the church, and they had been gone all day working with the youth group. So the two of them went over, and when they got there both doors were locked. (This was not part of the plan.) They had to drive to the church, get a key from David’s mom, and then go back. On the way, David told Kathleen that he had to go to the bathroom and asked her to let Niko out.

Kathleen walked into the room where Niko was in his crate, and she went straight to fulfill her mission to let him out, oblivious to the table set up not two feet away adorned with roses, candles, flower petals, and Hershey Kisses. She didn’t notice it until David came in the room behind her and she turned around to face him. As soon as she did, David got down on his knee and asked her to marry him. She replied, “Of course!” and then the two of them excitedly went to the church where their family and friends were waiting.