Liane started attending Rever. Jonathan introduced himself after the service.

Liane starts a small prayer group including Jonathan. They soon find a kindred spirit in each other in ministry and other areas, and a friendship develops.

Jonathan becomes more curious about Liane’s story as he hears more bits and pieces of it…

The beginning of long conversations and periodic awkwardness. Liane googles “is he flirting or just being nice?”

Jonathan corners Liane alone in a kitchen and chats and asks about her story … for 2-3 hours.

*ahem* Purely platonic interest, folks!

The prayer group prays for the ministry Jonathan is doing.

Jonathan & Liane talk for an hour after worship practice.

Liane says she’s resuming ministerial credentialing and asks why Jonathan isn’t doing so.

Jonathan had a first date scheduled (not with Liane) that got canceled. He mentions this while chatting with Liane.
She thinks, “Great, he’s pursuing someone else,” until her sister points out that maybe Jonathan is advertising that he’s single and interested.

Liane calls Jonathan and says, “So it seems like you’ve been flirting with me the last few months.”

Jonathan is horrified that he accidentally overstepped boundaries and says, “If I have been, it wasn’t intentional.”

Liane later thinks, “Wait, that didn’t actually answer the question!”

Jonathan asks Liane why she thought he was flirting. Liane gives factual answers.

Jonathan says he does not often meet w… people with such a heart and dedication for ministry. Besides, he always talks to people for extended times.

Liane notes that ‘people’ does not start with “w”….

Liane continues to perceive attention from Jonathan and wonders what on earth he is doing. So, like any normal person, she creates a spreadsheet to better analyze the situation.

Jonathan invites a group of friends to go winter hiking. Liane is eager to accept, but only if someone else responds first. Unfortunately, she gets sick.

Jonathan brings Liane homemade yogurt and sauerkraut so that she can re-culture after being sick and taking a round of antibiotics.

Liane’s friends say, “He’s not brought me home made yogurt….”

Before Parent’s Night Out at the church on Valentine’s Day, Jonathan tells Bing that Liane asked if he would lead one of the stations. Bing says to Jonathan “So wait, you’re saying a hot single lady asked you out for Valentine’s!” Jonathan later repeated this story in front of Liane.

Liane thinks after the fact that she should have responded,”And you said yes!”

Jonathan notices Liane’s plant in the foyer at church needs deadheading. That afternoon, Liane asks what happened to it. Jonathan responds, “I deflowered it.”

Liane can no longer take it and decides she must do something.
She invites Jonathan out on a clarification.

• I can be “just your friend.” Or…
• We can see if there is something more, but…
• I can’t be “just your friend” that you flirt with!

Initially, Liane was sure they were leaving as just friends.

Liane was initially sure they were leaving as just friends.

Jonathan talks about them both serving at the church. “If we’re going to do this, regardless of where this ends up, we need to still be able to serve together.” “…So how do we do this?”

Wait, is that a yes? “Slowly and cautiously,” Liane responds.

Jonathan brings lunch on a date and says that he is not sure if it’s GF rice, so to make sure he asks Liane if she will be his Girlfriend (GF).

Jonathan admits to Liane after a date, “Taking things slowly sounds great, but to be honest I don’t know how to do slowly.”

Jonathan & Liane go on a camping trip with Jonathan’s family. Liane is concerned about making a good impression.

Liane and Jonathan take one more hike after the rest of the family leaves.

Jonathan tells Liane, “I love you.” Liane responds, “Is it okay if I say I have feelings?”

Jonathan takes Liane kayaking for the first time. Liane enjoys it.

Before Jonathan leaves on a camping trip, Liane tells Jonathan, “I love you.”
(It was a bit cheesy, she gave him a card. But Jonathan happens to love popup cards.)

Jonathan gives Liane a book, “101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged.”

Liane panics a bit.

Jonathan, Aunt Lynette & Liane go backpacking. Jonathan and Liane talk a lot. Liane, thinking about the book, tells Jonathan that September is too soon for an engagement. Jonathan is rather confused, because it hadn’t occurred to him that the book implied an imminent proposal.

Jonathan takes Liane to Rangers Family Camp. Liane’s anxiety about the speed of the relationship wanes due to lots of good connection and cooperation at camp.

Jonathan starts making big hints he is planning to pop the question in November. Liane gives no hint of resistance.

Jonathan and Liane start discussing wedding plans. Liane avoids some questions, saying, “We can discuss that after other questions have been answered.”

Enough planning happens that Jonathan starts making a spreadsheet to keep track of it. Since other questions haven’t been answered yet, he names it “Theoretical Wedding Planning.”

Jonathan & Liane attend a middle school orchestra and band concert. After the concert, during dinner, Jonathan almost asks “the question” several times.

After dinner, Liane comments, “This is pretty good!” Jonathan says he could make it better. Liane wonders what could possibly make it better.

“Liane, will you marry me?”

(She said yes, in case you were wondering!)

Jonathan renames the spreadsheet “Non-Theoretical Wedding Planning.”

Jonathan told Liane it was a family tradition to get married on a day ending in 9. Liane noticed 2024 has a February 29th. Not a weekend, but….

Ah, geeky love!