We met one fine Saturday night in the magical beachside town of Isla Vista. "My roommates and I were making drinks in the kitchen when Steven and his friend Albert walked through the door of our small apartment. I remember thinking he was handsome, but he also had a quiet strength and gentleness about him. The more we talked the more I knew I liked him; he was funny and smart and weird in the same ways I was. After a sufficient amount of libations we headed to a friend's party on Del Playa with a house overlooking the ocean. We were all dancing, having a good time, and I looked at him from across the balcony and grabbed his hand. That was our first kiss on that balcony."

It was a grey day but we still felt like going on an adventure. We stopped in Sausalito for bagels and coffee, then drove through a flooded freeway towards Stinson Beach on HWY 1. He had planned on a breakfast place up the coast, with a few scenic stops along the way. The first one was beautiful with manicured paths to an overlook area of the ocean. The second stop was an unmarked trail off the highway, no other people in sight. We slid down the narrow path to the large boulders lining the edge of the coast. We stopped before the final oceanview boulder to stick mugwort up our noses. The view from the last boulder was breathtaking, with a patch of sun surrounded by dark storm clouds rolling past us, the clean ocean air rushing past. He pointed over her shoulder toward the sunlight sparkling on the water far below, and when she looked back he had a small black box in his hand. He told her how much he loved her, and it seemed like time stopped in that moment, both hearts racing. He opened the box and asked the question. She, through happy tears, said yes. They flung their arms around each other crying, he yelled into the air "WE'RE ENGAGED!"