Taylor and Jeanie first met in the car as our mutual friend picked Jeanie up from her house for an overnight camping trip to attend Oktoberfest in Mount Angel. We were meeting friends of Jeanie's and staying at their friends farm. It began a day of hysterical comedy of learning about cows, taking selfies with Rosie the pig and camping with complete strangers that continued Oktoberfest antics on the farm. Jeanie was excited to go on this trip and be in the country because the "Northern Lights" or Aurora Borealis was going to cross over Oregon that night! Towards the end of the night (3am?) Jeanie invited Taylor to go see the stars. They hopped onto the cab of the old 1950's Ford Pickup truck and sat patiently waiting and looking for the Northern lights. Sadly non were to be had that night and Jeanie and Taylor parted ways to their separate tents. It wasn't long after that Taylor texted Jeanie to go out to dinner which almost didn't happen when there was poor followup. Jeanie was hungry and decided to give him a chance after him "playing hard to get" and the rest is history.

Taylor came home from work excited to go on a family walk in the park and asked in advance (way out of character). Jeanie knew something was up and put on a dress just in case. He did his best to be smooth and calm but it didn't work as he was pulling up to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron garden. As we walked we learned Bentley really loved ducks and was chasing after them. They got scared and flew into the lake, with Bentley lunging after them and his collar unsnapping. Jeanie screamed and Bentley stopped in his tracks. Shaking the three of us walked to Taylor's favorite park bench as he nervously fiddled with Bentley's collar. Taylor got on one knee and asked Jeanie to marry him with the ring around Bentley's collar. (Good thing he didn't have the ring already on the collar or this story wouldn't go well) Jeanie said yes and we celebrated with a surprise dinner at Castagna!