We met ziplining through the treetops at the US National Whitewater Center where we both worked after college. The summer came to an end and the work hours slowed down, leaving us to our own devices in the "canyon" high ropes courses. We spent the next few weeks talking all day, getting to know each other, and becoming friends. A company-wide campout set the ball rolling. We spent the whole evening lying in a field and looking at the stars well after everyone else had gone to bed. Though Alex was soon moving back to Raleigh to start graduate school, we both knew our story wasn't finished yet.

After spending almost 8 months living on different sides of the globe, we met halfway in South Africa for a short vacation to get to know each other again. We decided to splurge a bit one night and bought a sunset catamaran cruise into the Atlantic Ocean. As we were crossing through the Knysna Heads, just before our sailboat crossed into the open ocean, Alex pulled out a ring box and popped it open.