We shared our first date at a bar in downtown Milwaukee near the river. It was on this date that we discovered our shared love for the 1954 musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. In my mind a man who not only had seen this movie but also enjoyed watching it was the ultimate catch. The night left each of us wanting to learn more about each other. Eric planned the next date which included dinner and walking out on a windy pier to a Lake Michigan lighthouse. From the first few dates and beyond it was clear we loved spending time together. I also realized Eric was a catch for many more reasons besides his taste in movies. We both felt we could be ourselves even if one of us was a little nerdy, okay maybe both. It became clear we loved not only each other but each other’s families too. Our family grew from two to three to four when we adopted our dogs Brix and Joules. (Bonus points if you know the science connection behind their names). We have enjoyed growing and learning together and cannot wait to see what future blessing our lifetime together brings us. The Proposal October 31st, 2021 It happened when we were on a weekend trip in Northern California for a friend’s wedding. On the day we were heading back we wanted to hike amongst the magical redwood trees one more time. We rose before the sun and started on the quiet moonlit trail. It was as if Eric had asked all the tourists to wait to come onto the trail to create a serene and magical moment for the two of us. When we reached a section of the trail where several large trees came together Eric pulled me into his arms and the space. He then asked me to marry him underneath the canopy of several magnificent redwoods. When he opened the ring box the light and sparkle from the ring radiated up onto the branches and the brilliant diamond created a dazzling display of twinkling lights. As you can imagine… my answer was YES!