Kirsten and Dan met online via Hinge in the fall of 2021. Our first date was on October 17th at a Flogging Molly concert at the Cuthbert Amphitheater. Three days later, Dan tested positive for COVID and had to quarantine. Fortunately, Kirsten escaped unscathed. (We did eventually manage to get COVID together after the Boston Marathon in 2023). After quarantine, on our second date Kirsten hosted pumpkin carving on Halloween and Dan got to meet Brighton to see if he met the sniff test (he did). Over the next four years, we've built our life together into the one that we want. Dan turned Kirsten into a runner, and Kirsten trained Dan to be a proper dog dad. We spend much of our free time exploring the breweries and wineries of Eugene, the trails of Oregon and Washington, and the National Parks of the west coast. We've visited 8 countries together, seeing everything from Hobbit holes to epic castles; glaciers to volcanoes; the back roads of central Oregon to some of the great cities of Europe. And of course, we dote on Brighton together, giving our best boy the life he deserves. Dan proposed on a hike to Eagle's Rest near Lowell, Oregon in August, 2025. Though it wasn't really a surprise (we did buy a house together in April of that year) Kirsten still cried during the proposal (and immediately said yes). We're so excited to throw a big party with all of our friends to celebrate this next phase of our life together.