Her: Our love story begins as any true millennials’: Tinder. (Don’t worry, family—Sam didn’t even try to kiss me until our FOURTH date.) We met among the ducks at Mesa Riverview Park, accompanied by far too many tacos—it truly felt like Sam had ordered one of everything on the Barrio Queen menu. He was so nervous, in his light blue polo and pair of golf Nike's, which I would later learn were the only shoes he faithfully wore for every occasion. On December 11, nearly a month later, Sam officially asked me to be his girlfriend. Hours of giggling, dreaming, and indulging in new adventures, a beautiful romance began. A year and a half later, we packed our bags and started the newest chapter of our journey in Seattle, Washington. And now, 1,409 days later, we’re engaged—ready to begin the rest of our lives together.

Flashback to early in 2024. Picture a pondering Sam, sitting there trying to imagine the perfect proposal for his at the time girlfriend, Jacqueline Bennifield. He was thinking he could take her back to Arizona and do it where they had first met, but that felt simple, unexciting, and unoriginal. He then jumped up in excitement, perhaps in Seattle, this new city that they moved to and share their love with its natural wonders all around. But alas, that too felt simple and unexciting. Then it came to him from the deep recesses of his mind – he will do it on vacation. Yes, totally original. In September Sam and Jacqueline were to venture off to Iceland, the land of Fire and Ice, to explore the world and see natural wonders like glaciers, puffins and the northern lights. He decided upon the Northern Lights. What could be more romantic than a swirl of colors in the sky above as the charged particles from the sun collide with the earth’s atmosphere? If you said nothing, you’d be correct. Flashforward but not to the present, if you’re in the present you’ve gone too far, go to September 2024. Sam and Jacqueline have made their way to Iceland, the land of fire and ice. Sam could see the joy in Jacqueline’s eyes, this expectant look, hoping, wondering, if he will be asking the most precious of questions, “Are you almost done in the bathroom?”. Whoops, I meant, “Will you marry me?”. Sam needing to distract her and perhaps ruin the whole trip, took a bold step and said, “What if I don’t want to get married?” This strategy was not advised as the expectant and joyful look turned to a frown with a bit of anger. But, luckily the wonderful waterfalls and breath-taking views were not to deter this great vacation. Sam successfully threw her off the scent…for now. Finally on September 21st Sam and Jacqueline were to see the wonderful Aurora Borealis this evening. Full of nerves, Sam snuck the ring in his jacket breast pocket to prepare for their adventure. They got on a bus filled with unimportant and random people who were also going to see the spectacular northern lights. The bus set out south of Reykjavik to a secluded part of Iceland, the land of fire and ice, promising them great views of this natural phenomenon. As the bus parked, the driver quickly pointed to the sky and said, “there it is”. And they looked and…nothing. It just looked like dark sky, a normal dark sky. He then said, “Pull out your phone and look through the camera lens!” They did. Lo and behold, there it was, this little green streak of a thing on the screen of the phone. Sam thought, “Wow, this is amazing, a natural wonder you can only experience through your phone. This must have been why early humans must have been so amazed by this natural wonder.” But then he had a panicked thought, “How can I propose to this? This stinks.” So, Sam, in his infinite wisdom, withheld the ring. Jacqueline was none the wiser enjoying her hot chocie and cinnamon roll. They just looked at this romantic wispy fart of an aurora together and laughed. The next day, September 22nd, Sam and Jacqueline were returning to the hotel after a day of snowmobiling on a glacier! It was a good time, but the story isn’t about that. As the bus returned to the city, they had this gorgeous view of the sun setting over the water and that is when inspiration struck. Sam will propose watching the sunset by the water! He checked the weather and on their last day in Iceland, the land of fire and ice, was to be clear skies.

September 23rd started like a regular day in Iceland, the land of fire and ice, taking a shower in water that smells like rotten eggs, due to the natural hydrogen sulfide gas found in their geothermal water sources. You get used to it…sort of. Sam and Jacqueline had their day planned, they were to spend the day at the Blue Lagoon Spa enjoying the natural hot springs and a nice dinner. Then venture out to see the sunset and look at the stars and maybe chase the ever elusive Aurora Borealis. They went to the spa and had a lovely time. They ate a lovely meal. But, they had too much loveliness, they were behind schedule. Sam had picked out a spot to see the sunset, but it was further north on the island. So, as he had on multiple occasions this trip, Sam sped the streets of Iceland, the land of fire and ice. Turns out speed limits in Iceland, the land of fire and ice, are limits – not suggestions – and he has the tickets to prove it. He is driving with a panic, worried he is not going to make his destination. Then as the realization hit, he was not going to make his destination on time. He did what any rational person would do, he turned to the perfectly calm Jacqueline and not-so-calmly asked, “Do you think here is a good spot to pull off to see the sunset?” Confused, Jacqueline responded, “I don’t know”. They had only been on the island for 5 days, how could she not know? She was the navigator! Anyway, Sam pulls off at this random exit. Now he's driving down this one lane road and there was nothing but land around – no coast. Nothing but houses and grass. Luckily, divine intervention was at play. On the radio (well it was Apple Music, but radio just sounds better) Billy Joel’s Vienna was playing and the lyrics “Slow down you’re doing fine. You can’t be everything you want to be before your time. Although it’s so romantic on the border line tonight.” Sam, in his infinite wisdom, decided to listen to Billy. So he slowed down, turned around and went back to the main road and kept driving. Then quickly panicked again, Billy’s advice only lasted so long. Sam pulls off, and once again they are on a single lane road, only this time it’s gravel – not even paved. They are driving up this hill and Sam is just hoping that it is a good view. They reach the crest of the hill and there it is, this beautiful, abandoned run-down building with some scrappy sheds all around it. Sam decides it would be a good idea to drive behind them and suddenly realizes, they are right on the coast. They get out of the car, and it immediately smells like cow dung, but they walk up this hill and it is just this beautiful view. The ocean in front of them with the sun going down in the west, sparkling gold and orange off the water. The moon rising to say hello and mountains to their right and just beneath them, a black sand beach. Jacqueline, flabbergasted by the view, did what any person in the modern era does these days, she grabbed her phone to take a picture. Jackpot. Sam got down behind her on one knee and said those fateful words. Now, no one knows if she said yes or what happened afterward; there are many stories and theories. The only one I can share is: Sam may or may not have knelt in cow dung. But Sam wouldn’t have it any other way. Oh and I’m sure you remember at the beginning I mentioned puffins, the cute-looking birds, and wondering why they didn’t actually appear in the story. Well Sam and Jacqueline never saw any, but they did eat one. And they gave it a solid B.