Love Story

In the heat of the summer of 2023, two people on Bumble swiped right at just the right time. Lauren studied Spencer’s profile and was intrigued – on it, he revealed that he was hoping to have kids “before the Dad bod set in.” A 30 year old man who was ready for commitment was a bit of a unicorn in these times, but Lauren was hopeful – so she fired off a message, asking Spencer about backcountry camping. Soon enough phone numbers were exchanged, and paragraphs were being sent back and forth on the daily.

On July 5th, Spencer made the trek to Brockville to meet Lauren at the brewery for their first date. They spent several sweltering hours on the patio lost in conversation, too nervous to touch the food they’d ordered. They did, however, manage to down a few pints each. Before the end of the date, Lauren joked about getting married at the courthouse down the street. It was safe to say things were getting serious.

A few weeks later, Spencer took Lauren on a weekend getaway to Prince Edward County, where they spent time relaxing, cooking for each other, and attending a sour beer festival. At the end of the weekend, they stopped on a beach for a swim and Spencer made it official, asking Lauren to be his girlfriend.

From then on, the two were inseparable, commuting between Brockville and Ottawa more days than not to be together. They went on an impressive amount of dates in Ottawa, - indulging in the food, music and art scenes, lounging by the canal, and sharing sunset beers on Spencer’s balcony. They took their first backcountry camping trip together in Algonquin Park in the fall of 2023 and realized it was something they loved to do as a couple. They came to know and love each other’s friends and families, and took vacations to Cuba and Nova Scotia during their first year together.

Lauren and Spencer declared 2024 the year of camping, doing 7 camping trips together that year. They braved subzero spring climates to backpack in Frontenac Park on Easter weekend, and battled the rain and winds of Charleston Lake in late September.

Between camping trips, Lauren and Spencer were planning for an even bigger adventure. Lauren had always dreamed of doing a nursing contract in Nunavut, and they thought what better way to move in together than somewhere far from home, bitterly cold and dark 21 hours of the day? Although Nunavut tested Spencer, Lauren and their light therapy lamps greatly, their relationship remained strong even on their darkest days, and they spent the majority of their free time playing video games together. Amidst that, they also had the chance to make some new friends, take in the Inuit culture and food, and catch the Northern Lights.

Spencer and Lauren landed back in Ontario just in time to ring in 2025. After some much needed time with their tribe and a vacation in Hawaii, Lauren was off to Victoria, BC for another nursing assignment. She travelled out solo, but Spencer joined her for two weeks in the middle of her contract. Lauren planned a getaway for them in Tofino, and there, as they walked along Long Beach, Spencer proposed with a gorgeous sapphire ring he’d designed for Lauren the previous summer.

Upon their return from British Columbia, Lauren and Spencer indulged in the comfort and support of living with Spencer’s parents as they prepared to become homeowners themselves. They got the keys to their farmhouse on June 18th, and have since fully immersed themselves in the peaceful life of homesteading that they started dreaming of together even on their first date. Lauren is already putting her green thumb to use in their vegetable garden, Spencer has cut many a tree for firewood, and both have gotten obsessively into canning. They also welcomed eleven laying hens to their farm in August. Lauren plans to manifest a few draft horses one day, and Spencer is definitely a future goat farmer. Both share the dream of soon raising children who grow up playing in the dirt, jumping in puddles and learning the value of hard work the same way that they did as kids.

With time and patience, Lauren has turned Spencer into a raging country music fan and craft beer snob. Spencer in turn has taught Lauren many important life skills, like how to use a chainsaw, how to drive a tractor, and how to be more creative in the kitchen. He’s also managed to infiltrate Lauren’s mind with the same silly jokes he’s always making.

In each other, Lauren and Spencer have found deep love, passion, unwavering support, and a shared vision of a future grounded in family, friendship and life in the country. Lauren is still 100% in the honeymoon phase, and Spencer never ceases to respond to every “I love you” with “I love you more.”