It was just another busy shift report, the kind where you’re running on fumes and trying to keep everything straight. I remember calling out, "who and where is Amanda"? But then I saw her. She was standing there, focused, but something about her felt different. When our eyes met for the first time, it was like time slowed. Her blue eyes—bright, warm, and full of life—seemed to look right through the chaos and land squarely on me. It wasn’t just a glance; it felt like she truly saw me, not just another nurse in scrubs or a face in the crowd. She started talking, her words tumbling out faster than I could keep up. It was clear she was nervous, though she hid it behind this captivating energy. She wouldn’t stop rambling, and I couldn’t stop smiling. There was something so endearing about her. In that small, ordinary moment during shift report, she made the entire world fade away. That was the beginning of everything for me. The moment she saw me, really saw me, I knew there was something special about her. And now, every time I look into those same blue eyes, I’m reminded of that day—and how grateful I am that we crossed paths.

It was a perfect fall day in Jim Thorpe, the kind of day where the air is crisp, and the trees are ablaze with fiery hues of amber, gold, and crimson. We’d spent the day exploring the town, but my heart was set on a single moment I had been planning for weeks. Our daughter, so full of excitement, held the ring in her small back pack. She didn’t fully understand the gravity of what was about to happen, but her beaming smile and eagerness to be part of it made it even more special. Meanwhile, our son did his duty of keeping Amanda busy searching all the shops, high and low. Towards the end of our day, we pulled over to the side of the trails to eat our goodies from Jim Thorpe. As we approached the serene riverbank, where the water mirrored the breathtaking fall foliage, I knew it was the right place. The scene was so peaceful, almost as if nature itself had paused to give us this moment. I took her hand and guided her to a quiet spot by the river. Our daughter, sensing the significance, handed me the ring carefully, her eyes wide with joy. Our son beamed up at us with his huge dimples gleaming in the day light. I turned to Amanda, the woman who had become my everything. As I got down on one knee, my hands trembled slightly, and my voice quivered. I looked up into her blue eyes—those same eyes that had captivated me the first day we met—and poured my heart out. I told her how she had changed my life, how her love had made us a family, and how I couldn’t imagine walking through life without her by my side. When I finally asked her to be my wife, her eyes filled with tears. She looked at our son and our daughter, who were both grinning ear to ear, and then back at me. She said “yes” with so much love and certainty, it took my breath away. I slipped the ring onto her finger, and we embraced as the golden leaves swirled around us, the river whispering its approval. Our children clapped their hands in delight, sealing the moment with their laughter and overwhelming love. In that perfect autumn setting, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the love of our little family, our forever began.