I Was Bumbling Along, Until I Met You
- sarahwilk24
- Feb 12, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 19, 2025
124 pieces | MOOXI
Assembled by Sarah Wilkinson, June 2025
Interaction Rating: 4 / 5 (interaction with the set is encouraged, but use extra care)
February 12, 2022
On an unseasonably warm winter day, Sarah was training for her Tree Steward certification at a park in Richmond with her trainer, Louise. The Tree Stewards are a volunteer organization that trains and mobilizes people to serve as an auxiliary to the City of Richmond's urban forestry efforts. Tree Stewards volunteer their time to help maintain the city's urban forest through pruning, invasive ivy removal, and other activities. Sarah became involved with the Tree Stewards through her volunteer work with Southside ReLeaf, an environmental justice and greening organization serving South Richmond. While Sarah was pruning trees with Louise, a swarm of shirtless men around Sarah's age descended on the park to play frisbee golf. (If you squint at the photo below, you might be able to see them in the background!) She decided in that moment that it was time to dip her toe in the waters of the local dating pool after years of sitting on the sidelines. Hunter had been on and off Bumble for a little while by that point without much luck, after exiting his last relationship about seven months prior.
The first thing Sarah did when she got home from pruning was to download Bumble and set up her profile. Almost immediately, she matched with Hunter, whose main profile picture featured him in an Alexander Hamilton t-shirt holding up a stein of beer (Sarah's featured her riding a Segway wearing overalls). Sarah's first impression was that he was cute, had a sense of humor, and seemed like a person who knew how to have fun. Across town, Hunter was shopping at his local grocery store when his phone pinged to alert him that they had matched on Bumble. His first impression of her was that she was adorable (see again the fact that she was wearing overalls and riding a Segway in her profile photo).
They began their conversation with a guessing game that had them sharing intimate details about their lives and childhoods almost immediately. Sarah was fascinated by the fact that Hunter was homeschooled and never attended a public school. Hunter was intrigued by her involvement with the Tree Stewards and that she'd published a book in college. They soon exchanged phone numbers and began texting increasingly long and thoughtful messages to each other. They couldn't wait very long to meet each other in person, so they set their first date for the soonest they were both available: Valentine's Day.
Sarah didn't realize that she would marry the first guy she matched with on Bumble, and the only one she went on a date with—so much for dipping her toes! Hunter didn't have any expectation that he'd just found the person he would marry when his phone alerted him of the match while he was at the grocery store that fateful day. After all, he was just trying to figure out which frozen pizza to buy. Love works in mysterious ways.
Sarah with her Tree Stewards trainer, Louise, and their pile of tree trimmings from the day.
Hunter's favorite Bumble profile of Sarah, wearing overalls and a bright orange helmet on a Segway. Sarah's favorite Bumble profile photo of Hunter, in his acid-wash jean jacket, looking pensively into the distance (and wearing a polo shirt, which he never wears).