Amanda and Kagen met for the first time at Scott's Dairy Freeze in North Bend, Wa. Everest tagged along as he and Amanda were visiting Washington State in May 2023. Everest was instantly infatuated with Kagen, which was not a normal occurrence for him. Amanda also felt that instant connection and was eager to see him again after their first meeting. Kagen also knew that he wanted to see Amanda at the very next opportunity and thankfully that came a few days later where he took her out for their real first date, an evening comprised of mini golf, dinner, and a sunset on the beach. It wasn't long before Kagen was asking Amanda to tag along on all of his endeavors, like standing in the rain for 6 hours volunteering for the local mountain bike race or playing an evening 9 holes of golf with strangers. Maybe it was fate that brought them together but it's the connection that has kept them going strong.

Full Circle- March 21, 2026- A proposal in the city where Kagen and Amanda met, became boyfriend and girlfriend, said I love you's for the first time, lived together, now engaged, and soon to be married in. Every month, Kagen and Amanda go on a breakfast date, typically to a diner they’ve never been to before in places they rarely visit. March was Kagen's turn to pick the date spot. Amanda mentioned she missed North Bend and thought it would be fun to spend the day there. Kagen agreed and said they should just plan on going to their favorite breakfast spot during the time they lived in town; Twede's Cafe. The morning started earlier than expected because Kagen wanted to take some pictures of Rattlesnake Lake with the morning fog laying amongst the trees surrounding the lake. Just a mile down the road from where Kagen and Amanda had briefly lived together before getting their own place, the lake held a special place in their lives. Amanda's affection for coffee runs deep so along the way they stopped for some coffee at Amanda's favorite spot, Huxdotter. After arriving at the lake, Amanda and Kagen walked along the shoreline and took in the beauty, enamored at how high the water was and as Amanda was looking around, that is when Kagen got down on one knee and asked Amanda to spend the rest of her life with him. Afterward the two newly engaged couple finally got to Twede's Cafe to share a meal, a cinnamon roll (another monthly ritual), and then a maple bar from the North Bend Bakery. The moment was captured by their friends and neighbors who graciously and excitedly accepted Kagen's last minute ask to capture this very special morning.