We’re getting married!

On an abnormally cool Arizona afternoon, a few friends gathered in the swimming pool for some well deserved fun and relaxation after a long and taxing week. Beers were cracked, coals were rolling on the grill, merriment was guaranteed to be had by all. Little did they know, just how important this day would be for two of the partygoers in particular. Charlie; absolutely hilarious, good looking and, at the time, wildly unkempt and ungroomed. Sitting at the float bar, tricking the groups resident clown into drinking beer cans filled with pool water, is just moments away from meeting his soulmate, his undying love, his Lobster. Enter Chelsey; a downright angel, albeit very large eyes, sent from the heavens above, arriving fashionably late to the soiree after a grueling day of cutting hair at the finest of salons. Great Clips. You know its great, because its in the name. The most beautiful thing Charlie had ever seen. After a quick change from her work clothes to an unforgettable green bikini, Chelsey takes her first strides into the pool. Charlie’s eyes have been nowhere else since she first arrived. Nothing else even mattered as far as he was concerned. Nothing, but her. He knew she was something special. And he was right. As usual. Chelsey might disagree, but Charlie is always right. ALWAYS. The rest of the night went incredibly smooth; Chelsey telling one of her friends she thought Charlie was hot, said friend spilling the beans IMMEDIATELY, and Charlie telling that same friend that the attraction was incredibly mutual. The stars hadn’t crossed more for anyone, not even for Romeo and Juliet, Ross and Rachel, nor Peanut Butter and Jelly. And as the cliche goes, the rest is history.

Our story continues with our star-crossed lovers 3 children, an apartment, a rental home, an owned home and 5 years later. “Some” might say thats a lot to go through before popping the question, that doing all of these things before getting engaged is a little backwards and A LOT untraditional. “Some” are right. BUT timing is almost everything. Location is everything else. It had been a year and a half since Charlie had visited his hometown, one place he consistantly wished they could be, so he could finally make proper use of the ring he’s been holding on to for close to a year. He had many opportunities, many different times. They never felt quite right. Something kept scratching at the back of his brain, “No. Not here. You know the place. You’ve always known the place.” This place in particular had meant something special to him. A place he held near and dear to his heart. A place he would go to clear his head, to breathe freely, to feel better. Nowhere else would do, for the person who makes him feel these exact things. It was a Friday morning. Chilly, but not too cold for their thin, Arizona blood. A nice stroll through the forest. A lump in his pocket. A conversation about how birds have it easy, flying around, screaming at eachother, eating worms and whatnot. Everything going mostly according to plan. A mile in, a cute, picturesque lake opens up. The same lake Charlie had come to, time and time again, in his youth to find peace, to find hope, to find answers. She was his answer. All that was left to do was ask a question.