On a hot, smoky August day in 2021, Shelby arrived in Seattle to begin the next step in her nursing career. She was excited about her opportunity to explore the country as a travel nurse. Unbeknownst to her, the Seattle adventure she had signed up for was about to be given a partner in crime. Another summer was ending in the Pacific Northwest, and Ben had just departed for a golf trip with his father, Pat, in California. Ben opted to stay out of the dating world throughout COVID-19 closures in Washington State, now in its second year. However, fate would intervene, as just a few days before he departed on his trip, a friend would convince him to get on the dating app “Hinge.” While sitting in his hotel room one night, he received a message from a nurse from Indiana, and the two began to exchange messages over the next several hours. They would arrange to meet as soon as Ben returned from his trip. It was a beautiful Labor Day evening in Seattle when they exchanged that first awkward hug, and thus began the story of Shelby Lynn and Benjamin Robert. Ben & Shelby’s first date began in front of the Ivar's Restaurant on the Seattle waterfront. The date got off to a nerve-racking start for Ben, who is notoriously afraid of heights but chose the Great Seattle Ferris Wheel as their first date. After surviving this traumatic event, they stood together and watched the sunset, enjoying the starry night as they walked along the waterfront. That starry night turned into the early morning, as they had lost track of time talking and getting to know one another. As the daylight drew near, they began to walk back to the parking garage hand in hand through the streets of downtown Seattle's Pioneer Square (not necessarily a neighborhood to be wondering late at night, as they would come to realize). Much to their surprise when they returned to the parking garage, it had been closed and locked for several hours. After all, it was morning at this point. After an Uber ride home and a kiss goodnight, they returned to their respective homes, knowing their lifelong adventure had only just begun. The following months contained adventure, laughs, a lot of time with their dogs, trips exploring the Pacific Northwest and West Coast, not to mention a lot of Mexican Food! Not long into their relationship, they both realized they had found their forever person. It was a Sunday afternoon in June when Ben got down on one knee to propose to Shelby. They spent the evening walking down memory lane at the waterfront of Seattle.