Nine months after our first meeting, Joe and I visited Oregon for the first time together, his home state. Joe brought me to a place he cherished from childhood - The Sandy River in Sandy, Oregon. This is where he grew up and it held an extremely special place in his soul. Beneath towering trees draped in moss and the Sandy River rushing beside us, the air smelled like earth and felt like magic. He asked me to check beneath a mossy tree, where I found a wooden box shaped like a book. With a grin, he teased that a fairy had left it, knowing how much I adore fairy folklore. I sat on a giant fallen tree log to open it and peek inside...my heart racing with anticipation and wonder! Inside was a note: “I only want two things in this life - you and us.” When I looked up, he was on one knee and tears streamed down his face. Inside the box was the most beautiful ring, and he asked me to be his forever! In that sacred place, we began our forever story....