We officially met each other in 2019 while we were both working at the Capitol building. I was running around and delivering bills while he was stuck at a desk behind a pillar. We didn't see each other much during that session but, as fate would have it, we both came back the following session and sparks really began to fly. On Valentine's Day 2020, I left Richard a Post-It note that said "Will you be my Valentine?" and he thankfully checked the "Yes" box. That evening, we got Flying M coffee and Guido's pizza and life was never the same again!

With our birthdays being so close together, we like to plan something big and special to celebrate each June. This year, we had found a glamping tent in the Puget Sound and decided to hit a few places in the Washington Peninsula. With the ring packed and ready to go, Richard was waiting for the right opportunity to propose during one of our adventures. The moment came when we were eating breakfast at the campsite one morning, joking about Taco Bell hot sauce packets that said "Will you marry me?" and "I do!" and saying how silly it would be to propose that way. I remember saying something along the lines of "I don't care if you propose with Taco Bell hot sauce packets, I am going to say yes no matter what!". Richard sat in quiet thought for a moment, went into the tent, came back with a box and said "If you say so!". He got down on one knee and that was that! We popped some bubbly (Jones Soda provided by our AirBnB host) and we spent the rest of the trip basking in the glory of being engaged.