In 2007, my family purchased a home and the Fender family came to help us move. I remember seeing a little boy that didn't say much who stood behind our trampoline throwing pine cones at me. I was a 6th grader and he was a year younger. Although I was annoyed, it was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. We stayed friends through middle school and on the last day of my 8th grade year he asked me who I "liked". After much banter, I finally admitted that I liked him. We were in two separate schools the next year. He rode his bike to meet me before school everyday and when the time came, we went to our first homecoming together. Through the rest of high school we dated on and off. My senior year I asked him to go to prom with me. We weren't dating at the time but went as friends. I remember seeing him in his suit and I started to fall in love with him all over again. We started dating shortly after that but the next year we ended breaking up again. We didn't talk for two years. In that time he left for the Navy. One day, out of the blue, I got a text from him and we slowly built up our friendship again. We started dating long-distance in November 2017. We visited each other a few times that next year. On August 9th, 2018 we took a trip to Sisters, Oregon. We decided to hike up Black Butte. It was almost 100 degrees and we were sweaty and gross by the time we got to the top of the mountain. I was enjoying the view when I heard Michael say my name behind me. I turned around to see him on one knee and he asked me to marry him. I said yes and just then... we were attacked by bees! We frantically ran down the mountain and headed home to share our great news. Unfortunately, he headed back to California but we are so excited to start the rest of our lives together and make more lasting memories.