"I have found the one whom my soul loves."

Ned and I met just a few days before he reported to his first USCG station in Bayonne, NJ. Those few days changed my life forever. A first date at Taco Bell and a trip down to a foggy Echo Lake was all I needed to know that I met someone special. We met at the Hamden Plaza the night before he left. We spent the night laughing and giggling. I didn't want the night to end. He felt like a lifelong friend, yet still put butterflies in my stomach whenever he'd smile at me. He left the next day for Bayonne, and the rest is history. … 2 years and a pandemic later, Ned came home before reporting to his new station, Elizabeth City. The night before he left, we ate dinner at his parent's house. We decided to sneak away and have a second dinner. We drove through Taco Bell and attempted to drive down to Echo Lake, somehow getting lost in the process. The night was full of giggles and good music, as we finally found our way to the lake. We parked on the quiet road and ate our Taco Bell. We both finished with cheese all over our faces and laps, scrambling to find napkins. Ned suggested we walk down by the lake one last time. We got out and walked down the dark road, lit only by the moon and stars, with an orchestra of crickets and birds singing their night time lullabies. The water mirrored the sky, like a pane of glass. We walked down to the place we had our first date and breathed in the cool, crisp air. "Are you going to yell across the lake today?" Ned asks playfully. "NO! People are sleeping!" I reply. "Aww c’mon. You wouldn't shout across it on our first date either… I have a surprise if you do." Ned answers back. "Noo.." I answer shyly. "Can you see yourself marrying me?" Ned says, as he wraps me in his arms. "Of course." I answered. "Like right now?" He answers, quietly. "What? I mean yeah, but we're at the lake! " I answer, confused. I turned around as I felt him pull away. He got on one knee and pulled out a box. The answer was simple. YES. Welcome to our forever.