We met under favorable circumstances... surrounded by friends, snow covered mountains, and just enough work to get by. Both of us were anxious to figure out who we wanted to be, yet unsure of what that really meant, how could we not have fallen together? Micala had joined a group of friends from CSU who spent their winter breaks working at the ski resort in Winter Park. Ben happened to be a part of this friend group, and was struck by the newcomer's confidence, especially on the dance floor. A couple weeks passed, and it was time for the students to return to classes. The catch was that we were the only graduates, leaving us free as the breeze. We bounced around Grand County for a month, finding solace in many places including Gram and Grandad's cabin. It was there, in Micala's family cabin along the Colorado River, known as Sunset Ranch, without running water, let alone the internet, we learned just about all there was to know about one another. Ben knew he had found the one when Micala cooked soup by boiling snow. Micala knew she had found the one because he enjoyed it. A few quaint months passed before we started to imagine what was next after the snow, and therefore our employment would start to melt away. The forming of a road trip started to take shape. We threw a foam pad and a kitchen box into the back of Ben’s SUV and followed the Colorado River west bound.

The transition from cabin to car proved far simpler than the move from car to newly engaged couple… but we got good at transitions over the next four years. Micala’s country-wide career search only moved her from her hometown of Evergreen to Ben’s hometown of Arvada. Ben’s path to becoming a teacher sent him to Greely for a year while Micala settled into her home in Denver. Slowly, unclear paths turned parallel and we were afforded the stability to blossom (although we will never give up the car bed). An engagement ring traveled from England to Denver and back to England on account of a poorly written address. It escaped on the last day before business shut down due to the pandemic. After an anxious four months, the ring arrived in time for Easter and a plan was devised. We woke up Easter Sunday ready for our annual egg hunt. Little did Micala know, Ben quickly gave her brother Cole and his wife Andy something extra to hide in one of the eggs. Noticing Ben’s heart racing just a little too fast for the task ahead, Micala decided to turn things up a notch. Minutes later, as she approached the ever important egg, true to her style, she tripped and fell on her face. I suppose you could say we fell into our engagement and won’t look back.