We met while we were both on work details up in Northern Virginia in the summer of 2014. Chris was giving an overview of what he and his group were working on to help inform our group of new detaiIees on their role in the office. Chris mentioned he was on detail from Chicago. Afterwards I spoke to him to ask if he knew a friend of mine I worked with closely in the past who also was in Chicago and now working in Chris's line of work. He did know him and I guess they started around the same time. I coordinated social events/outings for my group of fellow detailees and after finding out that Chris and several others were also on detail, i extended an invite to him and asked him to also extend to the others for a ziplining trip we were taking in a week or so. Needless to say .....Chris did not invite any of the other guys on detail with him and offered to drive my group to the ziplining location. We all had a blast on the course and went out for BBQ afterwards. One of the girls on the trip was mentioning that she thought Chris was interested....I was like no he's not....and I was not looking to meet anyone new during this work detail! Later that day, Chris asked me if I'd like to get together to have some wine and I said 'yes'. After that first wine, we hung out for the rest of the summer enjoying so many things in the Northern Virginia and DC area. They were memories and experiences of a lifetime.....and they came along when I least expected it. I didn't want to meet someone new.....but I sure am glad I gave him a chance!

After that fun and adventurous summer....well the detail came to an end! But, shortly before I went back to Savannah, I was offered a position in that area. I accepted....went back to Savannah for about month....and then moved. At this point Chris and I knew we liked each other - so this was our chance to really get into a routine and really date each other. We lived in two different parts of town, but we saw each other for a date night every Wednesday at my place and then got together on the weekends at Chris's. We continued to explore the area and saw so much! About a year after I arrived Chris's detail ended....and off he went to his home office in Chicago. It was a critical moment....stay together or go our separate ways. We would be living in two cities....could we make it work? We stayed together ....and we traveled back and forth every month for two years to visit each other. Luckily my family and Chris's sister live in Charleston, SC, so that was a meeting point for us around most holidays, in addition to going to Delaware, Ohio where his parents live for a few as well. During the in between we met up in various places that we just wanted to go to, or where Chris was working or in DC...some of those were Las Vegas, El Paso, and Saint Simons. After two long years....Chris got a temporary position for two years in DC....and we were back together again! I was so excited to see where this next chapter would take us....and no longer be living the Tale of Two Cities! Well DC lasted for another year and then Chris got an opportunity down in Brunswick, GA - so off to Saint Simons he went. He we were again at another crossroads.... Chris went down in October 2018 and during that time I worked to see if I could somehow get down to the area with my job. I was very lucky and fortunately I was allowed to work remotely for my current position. I moved down in February 2019. We were finally living together under one roof in the same town!!

Chris and I love wine so we had been talking for a while about planning a trip to California to see Napa and Sonoma Valley, enjoin some great wine, see the redwoods and do some hiking. We planned the trip and off we went in early October 2019. We started our trip with some winery visits in Napa and a day on the wine train. Mid-week we drove over to Yosemite to see the redwoods and do some hiking. And then we ended the trip in Sonoma with more winery visits. We drank a lot of wine, ate some yummy food, did some hiking....and got engaged! Chris popped the question on the last day of our trip at the last winery we visited in Sonoma - Buena Vista Winery. We did a tasting and then went outside to this cute tiered patio covered by trees. There was one other couple up there on our level. We sipped and chatted and it was getting a little later in the afternoon. The other couple left and shortly after, Chris pulled the ring box out of his pocket, said a bunch of sweet stuff (some I remember but in all honesty I didn't hear some of it because I was like...it's happening now!) and then asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes, he gave me a big hug and we both cried! It was a sweet moment and we will get to remember if forever because our engagement day and wedding day are both the same day....October 11th. It's just coincidence that our venue had this day available but it makes the day that much more special. You know what else makes it special - it's Chris's dad Chip's birthday!!! So we cannot wait to celebrate him as well as the biggest birthday party he may ever have!!