For our first date, we went out for brunch at The People's Kitchen in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The plan was to meet in Bethlehem and scooter over the brunch spot - Mike had just bought two new electric scooters and couldn't wait to try them out. Unfortunately, we had no idea the streets would be packed due to a festival, so I parked in the first street-side parking spot I could find in Bethlehem. I didn't know the area at all yet and I came from Anacortes whose downtown only stretches half a mile. I figured that I couldn't be far from Mike, but I had no idea Bethlehem extended across a river and I was on the wrong side. Mike told me to wait for him at the bridge where I can see the famous Bethlehem Steel Stacks. I did exactly that, and yet we still couldn’t find each other – surprise, there are TWO bridges that sandwich the Steel Stacks and we were each waiting at the wrong one! At this point, I had made him run the town "hangry" for 30 minutes to find me, all while riding on a scooter with the second scooter folded and balanced at his feet. I was sure I had ruined our date. But when he finally found me and our eyes locked, he only chuckled and smiled, completely unfazed by the chaotic start to our first date. This was the first example he gave me of his gracious and good-humored heart and he’s given me so many more that I know he is the one I want by my side through all storms of life.

On Saturday, June 4th, 2022, I was elbow-deep in fish tank water doing a maintenance cleaning, when Mike suddenly asked if I wanted to have a picnic with him at Washington Park. The sun had just breached the clouds and it was turning out to be a beautiful day. He had taken me on picnic dates before, and so, while sudden, I thought nothing of it and happily agreed to go. He suggested I wear my new sun dress and he would dress up too - again, nothing out of the ordinary for him to suggest. He packed sushi and wine in the picnic basket and we drove to the park. We started walking the trail from the parking lot in search of a good picnic spot. I wondered why he was being so particular about "the spot," but eventually we found a nice one overlooking the Burrows Pass. I saw him prop his phone up against the picnic basket, which should have tipped me off immediately, but I figured I was overthinking things and that he just wanted to have photos of us with the ocean and islands. After finishing our sushi, he stood and gazed toward the ocean with his hands in his pockets for a few moments, before saying, "I brought dessert too." Excited, I said, "Oh really? What did you bring?" And he replied, "Just kidding, I don't have any dessert." There was no follow-up, just nervous chuckles. Everybody knows you do not joke about dessert with me. It's silly but I was actually annoyed and confused that he thought that was a good joke! He stood there silently, still gazing at the ocean, hands still in his pockets, eyes becoming teary, and that's when I thought, "Oh, it's happening." In a choked voice, he said "Well," and dropped to one knee. Turns out he wanted to say "I don't have dessert but I have something better" but couldn't make it to the punch line. It was a wonderfully "us" moment, and we both can't wait to see how he does with his vows.