We're getting married!

I met Frank about two years before he met me. Frank was giving a FLIPL class at work and I instantly thought he was super hot and adored his assertive attitude and strong spine. Two years later, I was moved between departments at work and as I walked in I realized that it was the same department he worked in! For about 8 months, my attraction and heart grew for him before I finally asked him out on a hiking date. Thank you vodka! I first met Mallory when she was transferred to the shop I was working. She was always running around doing her job. She was all business, but she and I would joke around; she got my humor. She knew how much I enjoyed backpacking. One day she asked if me and Porter would like to join her and Enki on an overnight camping trip. I said sure, so I took Porter over to the place she was renting so Enki and Porter could meet. Just to make sure they would get along. She looked beautiful, and I felt like I was back in high school- a boy meeting a girl for the first time. That Saturday, 4 April 2020, I picked Mallory and Enki up and headed to Land Between the Lakes to hike a small loop trail. The backpack she used was the one she used to take to work, not a "real" backpack for backpacking. She looked a little uncomfortable, but she isn't a type of person to quit. I liked that. Once halfway we found a small campsite and began setting up camp. That night we cooked lamb over hot coals and Mallory brought a bottle of wine and a dang charcuterie board! While cooking the lamb I accidentally caught my beard on fire burning off about 4 inches of my beard length. We sat around eating from the charcuterie board, drinking wine and I drank some bourbon. We stayed up till about 3 am taking turns introducing music to each other. That night was amazing. The next morning, we ate some breakfast and packed up. When we came out of the woods, we found out the all the parks were closing due to COVID. Throughout the next few months of COVID we spent every day together. I fell in love with Mallory. I found out she was MUCH more than pretty. She was super smart, tough, considerate, shy, she likes video games, she likes backpacking, she liked my dogs, she was forgiving, a glass half full type of woman. She was funny, got my jokes, and we like the same type of shows and music. She became my backpacking partner, my confidante, the person I had fun with, and the person fell in love with. She became the person I had been looking for my whole life. The person I wanted to spend the rest of my life loving. Simply speaking she is my person.

While hiking the Savage Gulf during vacation this past summer, Frank kept asking me hypothetical questions. "Is this a good spot to propose to you?" He would ask and all I could say was "No, its too hot and I'm too sticky." Finally after asking hypotheticals for about a week I grew fed up. After our hike we took a quick weekend to visit Rock City in Chattanooga, TN and while overlooking Lovers Leap- he asked me again! Just in time and charming as always, he revealed that this time, the question was 100% a real and not hypothetical proposal. When I realized that is when I realized that I had been hoping so much to be married to this sweet, thoughtful and strong man.