"Never love anyone who treats you like you're ordinary." –Oscar Wilde

Something always called me to Portland. I fell in love with Oregon as a child on a family vacation and remember being captivated by its magic. I was drawn to darkness, light peeking through and illuminating secret worlds. I loved everything from the unruly blackberries, the mushrooms, the damp moss, the diversity and lushness of nature. I finally made my way back when I was 30. I did a lot of healing once I arrived here. I faced hardships in my life that I never imagined myself in. I wanted to give up many times but something told me to keep going. To keep holding on to a deep part of myself that knew something beautiful was waiting for me right on the other side of my pain. When the pandemic first started, my true healing really began. I started believing that I deserved to be treated better and the path toward true self love and fulfillment began for me. I realized that my heart was finally open to meet the type of person that I deserved to meet. I remember the first picture of Justin I ever saw. He was holding a coffee mug and smiling so sweetly, his whole face lighting up when he smiled. I was so drawn to him through a picture. I reached out to him and we clicked immediately. We went on a date later that week, a picnic in the park. I thought he was sweet, funny, kind, and thought he was incredibly handsome. We texted every day for about 4 months after that. It gave us a chance to really get to know each other and form the foundation for our friendship before anything else. He was always respectful, attentive, honest, and kind. I went to get my hair done, and I was telling my hairdresser about Justin and how we’d been texting and she very honestly said “what are you doing!! Go out with him again! What are you waiting for? Just go on a date again and see how it goes!” So I made plans with him that day! Our next date had a magic quality to it. It was exciting to be together but also felt like I was finally coming home. I felt safe, comfortable, and accepted by him. Hours flew by and we barely noticed the time. He asked me if it was ok to touch my arm and it felt like electric wires between us when we did. I asked if he wanted to hang out the following weekend this time. The rest is really history. We started hanging out very regularly after that. He felt like the right fit for me, like I couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect friend and partner. We both share a love for the magic of the Pacific Northwest and I was delighted to find that Justin captures his love through his incredible photography. Most of our adventures involve exploring in nature, looking for waterfalls or spending time at the beach together. Our evenings are often filled with discussions about philosophy while holding hands. We are both the same brand of weird, even if Justin is better at hiding it. We make each other laugh and our brains feel like they are merged together- we make the same strange connections. Being with Justin has been the final key to my healing. He helps remind me of my worthiness, and has shown me what it feels like to be loved unconditionally. Our relationship continues to grow and deepen every day, and I still can’t believe I get to marry my best friend who is also the love of my life. I can’t talk about my love story without also talking about Justin as a father. From the moment he met Huxley, he stepped up to the plate as a father type figure and fell in love with her as his own. He’s the dad that Huxley deserves as well. He’s wonderful with her and it’s been an honor to watch their relationship blossom over time. I finally know what it means to have a coparent. Our family feels complete with Justin in it. Justin has given me everything I ever wanted and more and I am both humbled by and grateful for his love. I renew my loving commitment to him each day- and I can’t wait to celebrate and share our love with those of us we are closest to.

I had all but given up on finding a partner to build a family with after many setbacks in my last home, Philadelphia. I’m usually pretty indecisive and not a huge risk taker, but for whatever reason I felt inspired enough to decide I wanted to move across the country by myself and actually do it. As it turned out this decision led to so wonderful things in my life that I never could have expected. It still took a bit of time in Portland before I’d find my new best friend, but I kept going and followed solo passions in the meantime. I somehow knew there was a person out there that I hadn’t met yet who was going to be what I had been waiting for all these years. I matched on a dating app with a woman named Lindsey who had cute red hair and glasses and I felt very quickly drawn to her. We chatted often and it felt so easy and comfortable. We finally met up for a date and had the cutest little picnic in the park full of enough food to feed a large family (all brought by Lindsey). There was chemistry and it felt good, but because life happens sometimes we would not see each other again for 3 months. We did however stay in close contact and continued to build our relationship. When the time came for a long-awaited 2nd date, we spent the whole day together and it just felt so easy and satisfying. Things picked up quickly from there and it felt like we had known each other forever. I finally met Huxley a few months later and I brought her a cake pop thinking if I were a kid I would love if someone gave me free cake. It was well received and Huxley warmed up to me quickly. I’ve found my role as a parent to her to be both one of the hardest and one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had. I love our family and am excited to see how we grow together and experience the world. I can’t wait to be married to Lindsey and I am so grateful to have she and Huxley in my life.