It's a tale as old as time where two high school sweethearts struck up a conversation over AOL Messenger (remember that) and decided to meet up. Inside the tiny slice of heaven aka a Wendy's restaurant in a crowded shopping mall, Opera music was blasting and sparks were flying. Little did they know that many years later they would still be together, deeply in love while occasionally splitting some fries and those special Wendy's chicken nuggets.

In mid-November, for Jen’s birthday, we spent a special one-night getaway at a charming wooded cottage in Vernon, New Jersey. Surrounded by the peaceful sound of a river and a distant waterfall, the setting was serene and perfect. After enjoying Chinese takeout by the fire, I told her I had a birthday surprise. To make it fun, I turned it into a scavenger hunt, hiding the ring box inside a lunch bag tucked away in the cottage. Clue by clue, she laughed and searched, her curiosity growing. When she finally found the lunch bag, she opened it with a playful smile that quickly turned to surprise when she saw the ring box inside. I knelt beside her as she looked at me, wide-eyed. “Jen, you are my heart, my happiness, and the best part of every day. Will you marry me?” Tears filled her eyes as she nodded, smiling. “Yes!” she said as I slid the ring onto her finger. That night, as the fire crackled and the waterfall hummed in the distance, we celebrated not just her birthday but the beginning of forever.