The wait is over... We are getting married!

We both swiped right and met for coffee at a campus classic, Espresso Roma. We went for a long walk by the Willamette River and quickly lost track of time, making Ben quite late to his D&D campaign with some of his closest friends, many of whom would end up being some of Sally’s best friends too. The second date was a baseball game, which was a poor choice considering that neither of us had ever really cared for it. Sally had only invited Ben because it was a Rowing Team fundraiser, and the team needed more bodies in attendance, which, again, was a poor choice. Thank goodness Ben didn’t leave in the middle of the game! That day was March 14, Pi Day, and over free apple pie and vanilla ice cream after the game, Ben and Sally decided that this was something special.

We went to a lovely Eugene establishment, Rye, for our four-year anniversary dinner. A happy, older couple sat near us, commenting that we had been seated at their usual anniversary spot. They ended up ordering the same dishes we did and also split them half and half between the two of them. At the end, they recommended the truffles and sherry for dessert, citing it as their favorite. Sally saw this couple as an auspicious sign, considering what was waiting back at the house. We drove home listening to some of our favorite music, discussing our upcoming move to New York City, and Ben looking forward to watching a movie that evening. We pulled up to a dark house, Ben none the wiser. He makes it to the living room first, and the lights turn on, revealing many of our dearest friends circled around the room holding signs saying “Ben, will you marry me?” In his surprise, Ben wasn’t quite sure what was happening and says, “Who’s asking?” After some laughter and some nudging from our friends, understanding dawns. Ben gives a resounding yes, and we celebrate with many bottles of champagne, chocolate cake, and our lovely friends late into the night. What a Wednesday.

We sold our accumulated belongings, packed our lives into 5 suitcases, and hauled ourselves nearly 3,000 miles away to the east coast. Neither of us had been further east than Wisconsin, but we made it! Now, over five years later, we couldn't imagine living anywhere else during our 20s.

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic became an all-consuming aspect of everyday life, we were fortunate to welcome our dear dog, Wynnie, to the family. She is our pride and joy, and we are overjoyed to have her with us on this special day!