While we knew each other since the start of high school, our friendship really took off in Mr. Vaughn’s Math Analysis class junior year (we owe him one for the alphabetical seating chart). Beau was a constant friend to Lauren, quizzing her on the state capitals (in math class?), helping her decide on colleges, entertaining her before volleyball practice, and showing her an Ohio wonder of the world, the Peninsula quarry. Lauren enjoyed consistently bugging Beau, but offered reliant entertainment and fun in their friendship (so she thinks?). Their friendship remained strong enough to last through the first semester of college, with frequent late night talks, Beau's unwavering advice, and Lauren tutoring Beau in chemistry. ;) Come winter break, Lauren was trying to get a ride to Cleveland and managed a ride to Cincinnati, the halfway point home, and where Beau was going to college. Beau and his parents were kind enough to take Lauren the rest of the way home, leaving a few days between her arrival to Cincinnati and their departure home. These days allowed for what they would come to know as their unspoken "first dates:" taking Lauren to a gourmet meal at Market Pointe, a world class dining hall on campus, climbing to the top of Carew tower, typical Newport sight seeing, and running around downtown. The drive home that followed meant meeting the parents for the first time, and Eric and Lisa learning for the first time how much of a minimalist packer Lauren is! (a maybe obvious joke). The drop off to Lauren's house also meant their parents meeting for the first time. Little did we all know what was to come. Over the next few weeks at home, Lauren and Beau couldn't help but decide to take their friendship further. On December 27, 2016, Beau asked Lauren to be his girlfriend in the most romantic way: visiting her at one of her jobs as a server at Doogan's of Aurora (a very niche joke). What can they say, the mood was just right! From then on, it was Greyhound buses, short weekends, and every effort imaginable to see each other through 4 years of long distance through college. They got to experience each other's lives lived separately, but so well together, and continue to keep growing into the perfect team.

Beau was sent to Ohio for a month of work training in mid June, and finally returned to Lauren eagerly wanting to get going on PNW summer activities together. Lauren was almost to the end of her didactics in grad school, and Beau had suggested going to Ray's, a favorite seafood spot on the water, to celebrate his return, summer, and a much needed break from Lauren's dreaded final case report paper. There seemed much to celebrate and enjoy the occasion for, so Lauren thought nothing of the evening together, so much so she didn't wash her hair (nice). They had the best dinner reunited, watching the beginning of a uniquely beautiful sunset. Given Lauren's paper deadline, and the fact that she was beyond behind, it still makes them wonder why Lauren didn't want to rush back home to get back to her paper that Sunday evening. But, given the beauty of the moment, Lauren suggested they go to their favorite nearby spot for the rest of sunset, Discovery Park. Little did Lauren know, Beau had banked on her suggesting this, so much so that he had a photographer already waiting there. When we got out of the car, it was truly the most stunning sunset: clear, golden skies, Mount Rainier out, and Olympic mountains in view. Lauren was so giddy she jokingly patted down Beau's pockets, saying what a moment it would be to have a proposal here! They set out a blanket in the sand and laid by the water until Beau suggested they get up to put their feet in the water. As Lauren was putting her toes in, she felt Beau hug her from behind, speaking the sweetest words. Unknowingly to the moment, she was trying to hold his hands around her, but he was holding a particular box. She turned around to Beau getting down on his knee, and they both blacked out from there! Lauren recalls repeatedly saying "What are you doing oh my gosh!!!" and Beau hardly remembers a thing. They went on to take photos from a wonderful photographer Erin, completely unable to focus for a single photo from giggling, chatting, and messing around from the joy of the moment. It's our favorite memory to date, in our favorite place, and we are just so excited to share more memories of our life together the past 8 years dating and 10 years as friends in our original favorite place, Cleveland, Ohio baby!!! See you there!