March: 1st date: 3/24/23: Gusto’s🍝 Hikes & Hottubbin’ 🥾 April: “I love you’s” and comedy shows May: Dinner dates with Chef Garrett & Ivana June: Creating homemade ice cream creations🍨, visiting Denver, CO, & traveling to Ivana’s home in Canada🇨🇦 July: Beach walks & sea glass collecting August: Garrett completed the JMT 🏔️ September: Travelled to Sayulita, Mexico October: Moved in together 🏡 November: Bike rides🚲, beach walks & comedy December: 1st Christmas 🎄 January: 1/21/24: We’re Engaged! 💍

We matched online and our first date was at Gusto’s, a little Italian spot where we got to take our time. We got to know one another over hikes, beach walks, hot tubbing, cooking, and bike rides. We had been and still are completely basking in one another. It was abundantly clear that our connection was undeniable, each walking with a lightness and happiness in our steps.

It was a California’s winter Sunday afternoon, and we had decided to enjoy our backyard and stroll Del Monte beach looking for sea glass to add to our collection. The sky was the most beautiful cotton candy shades, and the tide had receded in a special way where the sand mounds created tiny islands where the water lapped gently. Garrett pretended to find a wonderful piece of sea glass and called Ivana over, it was then she noticed he was on his knee, hands wrapped around the most beautiful ring beaming with his electric smile. Delightfully surprised and overwhelmingly happy, Ivana tackled Garret into the water. Del Monte Beach will always be a special place for them, where they lived this milestone together surrounded by Mother Nature, where they have shared so much and will continue to unfold this life together.