Our first chapter started in high school. I was a junior in high school and Colin was a senior. Our love started at a tailgate before a football game. I knew that he was the one ever since I witnessed his master grilling skills. We dated for about a year before going our separate ways for college. We were still in contact with each other throughout the years but only as a quick check-in. It was five years later that Colin happened to be going to Seattle, WA to visit his brother, Keith. I was taking my dental admissions test in Seattle and agreed to go to a brunch. This put Colin back on my radar as I was finishing up my last year of college. We started dating again in December of 2021 and dated long-distance for six months. The day after I graduated with my bachelor's degree from Western Washington, I drove back as a surprise for Colin's birthday. We have been together now for over three years and cannot wait to get married!

Colin and I decided to go up north to Marquette, MI for Memorial weekend. We rented a Vrbo for the weekend which we drove eight hours to arrive. Upon this arrival, we noticed that there was an additional car parked in the driveway (mind you, this was a cabin in the middle of nowhere). As we walked up to the cabin, a man came out and inquired "Do you need something?". Colin and I are concerned at this point considering the images on our booking are the cabin that we have arrived at. We explain our situation and the man goes "That simply cannot be possible since I own this property and there is a no renting clause in my lease. But the old owner, Lori used to do Vrbo. But Lori passed away two years ago.". In complete shock, Colin and I drove to downtown Marquette to call Vrbo and luckily booked a hotel for the weekend. After this horrific experience with Vrbo, we went out for dinner at Delft Bistro. I then look at Colin and state, "Well thank goodness you did not plan a proposal or anything!" if that shows how blindsided I was for what was about to happen. Colin drove us to the beach after dinner. At this point, it is rainy, cold, and dark, and we are exhausted from the day. We then make our way to the walkway of the beach and I stop and state, "I would like to go home now.". Colin becomes desperate and starts his proposal to me on a dirty walkway. I then realize what is happening and we run out to the beach to be able to finish this proposal the way Colin intended. I of course said "Yes!" and we danced in the rain. I would never choose it a different way. It was a perfect moment for us.