It was March 2018. Armando and I had met online the previous September, and had been hanging out in real life since October 2017. It was time for us to take our first overnight trip together. We rented a train track fronted house on the river in Castella, CA, packed up the dogs, and headed north to the snow. Armando says that was the trip, the weekend, that changed everything. A month later, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and we’ve been taking big trips, literally and metaphorically, every year since. We’ve traveled to the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, El Salvador, Panama, Taiwan, Indonesia, and all over California and the greater US. Fast forward to 2023, and Armando wanted to plan a trip for us that would be unforgettable. Unbeknownst to me, he planned a trip to the one US state I had never been to and had been dying to my entire life. ALASKA!! He planned the trip to be on the 5 year anniversary weekend of the trip that changed everything. We walked literally the entirety of Anchorage, almost got stuck in the glacier silt, survived, did wildlife tours, almost got murdered by a moose, survived, rode the aurora winter train from Anchorage to Fairbanks, Armando saw a Denali mountain goat, we went to the Aurora Ice Museum, laid in literal ice beds, almost got stuck in the snow trying to get to and explore an abandoned train, we survived, went to the Chena Hot Springs, went dog sledding, saw the northern lights, had a helicopter tour canceled, went glacier hiking instead, and had the most epic Alaska trip I ever could have imagined. Here’s the best part of the trip though. We were at Chena Hot Springs Resort in Fairbanks. After hiking all of the trails, and spending enough time in the hot springs, we were off to find somewhere to try to see the aurora. We came across a sign in the dark that pointed up the steep mountainside and simply said “Aurorium.” Off we went! It was a steep hike up. The resort has since told me that they don’t advertise that building being there, and it’s not on any maps, because people were falling and getting hurt on their way up, so they don’t want to encourage them. Anyway, we made it up to the Aurorium and found a beautiful north facing cabin with a literal wall of windows, that was unlocked and completely empty of people. It was ours for the taking! It was pretty cloudy, and the forecast for aurora viewing was pretty bad, but it was only 1am, and we wouldn’t be getting picked up by our shuttle until 3am. So, we cuddled up to keep warm, and waited, and talked. Our favorite pastime. Armando started rummaging in our backpack, and then asked me if I wanted to go outside with him. Of course I did! He brought out a chair, and asked me to sit down. Did I know what was coming?? He started telling me how much he loves me, and how much he couldn’t imagine his life without me. How much I complete him and make his life more worth living. AND THEN about how much he couldn’t go on one day further without… asking me to be his wife! Forever by his side. Forever a duo, a perfect match, a perfect pair. Of course I said yes!! Then, I screamed it off the mountain side, “WE’RE ENGAGED!!!” And all the wolves in the canyon below started howling in celebration. No joke!! It was such an amazing and incredibly unforgettable experience. So special, so epic, and so thoughtful. I just could not stop thinking about how lucky I was to have found this man, and how happy I am to get to spend the rest of my life with him. Who cares that we didn’t see the aurora on that specific night?? I have never felt more loved by anyone in my whole life than how he loves me. He makes me the absolute happiest person of all time, and I cannot wait to make this man my husband. So, there you have it! From a super like to a super fiancée. We are so excited to be getting hitched, and we hope that we’ll be able to have you there to be a part of our story! To be continued… FOREVER.