Depending on who we talk to we tell the story a little different. Mostly because online dating has in the past carried a negative stereotype and people immediately question the commitment and intent of the relationship. With that being said, here is our story from each of our sides...

My education was a long and arduous road of 8+ years post high school. Although I have been determined and focused, I am also a hopeless romantic and was always waiting for Edward Farris (I'm more of a Sense and Sensibility gal than a Pride and Prejudice gal) to be right around any corner. However by the time I was at the end of pharmacy school, I had become very content with living with my happy and fat cat, Cato, for the remainder of my years. For those of you who have been out of the dating world for a while, dating now a days is harder than ever. Being in a rigorous professional program that left no time for a social life didn't help. During the fourth year of pharmacy school, all pharmacy candidates are placed in one of seven geographical regions of Washington State to complete over 50% of their advanced pharmacy practice rotations. During our third year, we get to rank our preference of locations. At that time I had never been to Yakima (I don't even think I had driven through it) and had this preconceived idea that it was the worst place ever to be. I was VERY set on completing a post-graduate residency and becoming an Perioperative Pharmacist and I had already decided that wasn't going to be happening in Yakima. There were some other regions of Washington I didn't really want to end up either for that last year which ranked Yakima #4 on my list. Most people will either get their first or second choice and a few people may have to be happy with their third choice. However, when the results came out I was placed in Yakima, lets just I was anything but happy. My dad can attest to hearing me complain for the three hour drive from Washougal to Yakima about how I just knew I wasn't going to like this and I couldn't already wait to get out of there. Little did I know what was about to happen next...

I graduated from the University of Washington in the Spring of 2012 with a BS in Biology. Wide-eyed and eager to enter the real world, I landed a job at SightLife as recovery technician. SightLife is a non-profit eye bank and it was my job to surgically recover the cornea from tissue/organ donors for transplant. Thinking that job would be a stepping stone to graduate school in medicine or dentistry, after 4 years I was ready for something different. That’s where Yakima comes in. I had visited Yakima countless times during and after college. My best buddy, Kyle Washut, grew up there as did several of my college friends. He had only moved back for about 5 weeks and I visited twice. The second time on July 15, 2016 was to attend Ales for ALS charity fundraiser at our friend’s brewery, Bale Breaker Brewing Company. The afternoon was spent drinking good beers, surrounded by an amazing community of people gloating about all that Yakima has to offer- apples, hops, grapes, beers, wine, mountains, skiing, biking, rivers, fishing, the 4 seasons and the list goes on and on and on. Literally everything I like. I found myself talking with a fellow UW grad, Brett Valicoff, the GM of Valicoff Fruit Company Inc., having mentioned needing to fill a position before harvest which was only weeks away. He showed me the fruit company storage and packing facilities the next morning and to my surprise offered me a job. I spent that afternoon, rejoining my friends, at Kyle’s parents house. Everyone was thrilled that I was offered and job and asked if I was going to take it. I didn’t know. I was speechless. While most were poolside, I snuck away to the side of the house, restocking the kindling supply with an axe for hours. Seriously, ask Rick, they might still have some of the kindling I cut that day out of pure anxiousness and uncertainty of this big decision looming. To move or not to move, that was the question…

My dad dropped me off on August 26, 2016. I was to start my next rotation at Virginia Mason Memorial (at that time Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital) that next Monday. After starting my rotation I remember one of my now mentors (Chris Cook) asking me what type of pharmacy I wanted to go into after school. Now, I usually have this little spiel about what a preoperative pharmacist is (this is not a very common specialty in my field so most pharmacists don't know it exists-but believe me it is a very real thing), but Chris had already jumped in and said "Oh really??!!! Our anesthesiologists have been asking for more pharmacy presence up in the OR". I then started the journey of creating my dream job (how many other people as a fourth year student could say that?). With school/work going well I had decided to reactive my Tinder account (no judgements) and just see what was out in the dating world in Yakima. I didn't really use it and would sometimes look at it when honestly I was bored. Well luckily in the middle of October 2016, I swiped right on this guy named Alex. Our first online conversations where about our jobs and my big question...red or white wine (answer is red). Although the big question from Alex to me was Coug or Husky (I said neither...I'm a forever Arizona Wildcat-he was ok with that answer). After deciding that this guy didn't seem like a total creeper we decided to actually go on our first date-Jackson's Sports Bar. Alex got there first and was waiting at the bar (points for being early/on time). Besides being extremely handsome, our conversation was so easy. I could 100% be myself in the first 5 minutes with him. After talking for a couple hours, it was time to call it a night. At this point I had decided he wasn't a creeper and I trusted him enough to give me a ride home. When we got in his car it smelled like hay (he to this day doesn't know why since there has never been hay in his car) which immediately reminds me of horses-I was forever sold!

I moved to Yakima and started working at Valicoff Fruit Company Inc. on August 1, 2016, mere days from the beginning of apple harvest. My hands were full as I tried to learn the layout of this 25+ acre compound full of massive cold storage units, a state of the art packing line, several bin lots and more. Slowly but surely harvest wound down and I found myself with more free time. Being in a new city, I opened up my Tinder account. Erin and I matched and we started having casual conversations. We found out that we both went to UW at the same time and studied biology but never crossed paths. Or at least that we knew. Even though she claimed her allegiance was with the Wildcats, I was excited to potentially meet another Husky grad. I asked her out on a date set for a Friday at 8pm at 2nd Street Bar and Grill. She agreed. When I got home from work that day I excitedly texted Erin to confirm our plans. She was still in, but requested to change the site to Jackson’s. Of course I obliged. Arriving early I grabbed a seat in a location that was easy to for her to spot me and ordered a beer. Top Cutter IPA from Bale Breaker to be exact. Shortly after imbibing my first sip, I got a tap on the shoulder accompanied with “Alex?” in an inquisitive yet confident voice. Erin asked what I was having, said she’ll have the same to our server. A girl who likes IPAs, hell yes I thought! We talked and laughed with ease and enjoyment. It was like we had been friends for a long time. When it was time to call it a night, Erin asked if it would be too much trouble for me to give her a ride home, as it was lightly sprinkling outside. I realized then that that’s why she wanted to change the location earlier. It was closer to her place if she needed to walk home. Of course I gladly gave her a ride home. How could a say no to such a pretty, smart, funny, and confident woman who likes IPAs? I couldn’t and little did I know, I was hooked.

Fast forward almost two years to September 7, 2018 (Alex's 29th Birthday). I was the CCU Pharmacist that day and had a busy and stressful day to say the least. I was EXHAUSTED but put a smile on my face for Alex. I had figured we would go out for a birthday dinner. [Background: Alex was in his busy season at work (4am- 6pm 7days/week) so we had been eating mostly take out the previous weeks.] So when he came in the door with groceries I knew he was planning on making dinner....his own birthday dinner. I immediately felt like the worst girlfriend ever! I instantly went in the kitchen asking what I can do to help (I can't cook but I could at least help chop something). He asked me to clean the counters. I then asked what was next, he told me to get a drink and just relax. I asked again. He insisted. So I went and sat down in front of the TV. While things where cooking he went up to take a shower. He came down fully dressed in jeans and a button up shirt (should have been clue#1 something was up). He then went and checked on things in the kitchen and then came and put on his cowboy boots (should have been clue #2). My brain was so fried from the day it was not raising any flags. At this point I had just opened my Truly and had maybe one sip. Alex comes over and asks if I need another drink. "I'm good. I just opened this one. But what can I do for you?! It's YOUR birthday! You don't have to wait on me." I said. He again denied needing anything. Then not even 2 minutes later he comes back and asks if I'm ready for another drink (should have been clue #3). What is wrong with him? I thought. Why is he trying to get me drink so much? I said sure at this point. I figured I can just set it next to the one I already had. Once I said sure, he then told me I had to go into the kitchen to get it. At this point I was slightly annoyed. First trying to shove drinks at me and then having to go get the drink I didn't want. But I kept my smile on my face and went in the kitchen.

I walk in and there were already two wine glasses on the counter. Alex pulls out a bottle of Trevari's sparkling wine. "When did you get that?" I asked. "On my way home from work today. I thought it would be nice to have some birthday bubbly." (should have been clue #4). But in my mind it didn't seem it was that odd. I gave him a long hug and told him happy birthday and how lucky I am to have him in my life. Now at this point in our relationship one of the cute things we had been saying/asking each other was "Be mine forever?" And of course the answer was always “Yes! Forever and ever!” As I answered Alex while we were still hugging he started to pull away and turn to the area of the counter where the bread is. I was then thinking “Uuummm excuse me?! We were having a moment, what is so important with the bread that you had to ruin the moment?” But Alex turns around with a box in his hand and says, “But I mean forever and ever” He gets down on one knee and says, ”It would be the best birthday present if…”and I couldn’t contain myself anymore. I started shouting “YES! YES! YES! YES!” I didn’t let him get the official words out. If he had a speech planned he didn’t get to say it. He stands up and I throw my arms around him and I start crying and shaking with pure happiness and excitement. After about a minute of this continuing I abruptly stop and suddnely pull away from the hug and look at him very seriously and ask, “Hold on…You did ask my dad first for permission right???” “Of course I did.” And the rest is history...now our history.

In August 2018 I purchased an engagement ring with no set timeline to get down on one knee. I was very fortunate that the jeweler let me keep the ring in their safe so that I didn’t have to suspiciously find a hiding spot from Erin (I heard the stories of how she snooped and found Christmas presents so I wasn’t taking any chances haha). A few weeks into the month of August I got wind from Erin that her parents were coming out to Yakima to visit us for a weekend. It was the weekend following my birthday. Selfishly I thought to myself- if they are coming to visit, lets celebrate my 29th birthday AND an engagement. It was a week before my birthday and I had yet to speak with Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy for their blessing and permission to ask Erin to marry me. After work I made a pitstop at my favorite watering hole, Bale Breaker, to grab pint of liquid courage and call her folks. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous asking for their permission over the phone. Pacing up and down the field of hops I made the call. Wouldn’t you just know it, I called them as they were out celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary. I had no idea but how serendipitous! The day of my 29th birthday, September 7th, I made a quick stop on my way home from work to pick up a couple bottles of Erin’s favorite from Treveri Winery. I also grabbed some groceries and made a stop by the jeweler to pick up the ring. Now, September is one of the many busy seasons for me in the nursery and Erin and I had fallen behind on house chores- laundry, groceries, you name it. We had spent the past few weeks relying on Uber Eats and take out. If only you all could see how BIG Erin’s eyes got when I walked into the door to our apartment carrying a bag of groceries. “It’s your birthday and you want to clean up the kitchen and cook?”

I played it off, cool and collected, and told her that I’d rather spend the night in than have her take me out for dinner. She still had no idea. I started to clean up the kitchen and put away the groceries. Erin asked how she could help so I put her in the kitchen to finish tidying up while I went upstairs to shower and put on some nice clothes. When I got back downstairs, Erin had finished up and found a comfy cozy spot on the couch. Being the gentleman I am, I offered her a drink while I started chopping up veggies and getting dinner started- eggplant parmesan with spaghetti squash. “Love do you need another drink?” “No, you just gave me one” “Okay”- I replied. Probably within a minute “Love do you need another drink” “Still no” Erin retorted back. Okay, I guess I was much more nervous than I thought cause apparently time warped for me. “Love do you need another drink yet??” “Okay fine” Erin responded this time with dismay. What the heck is wrong with him she must have been thinking. I had her come into the kitchen where I grabbed two of our wine glasses and pulled out a bottle of bubbly from the freezer. “Whats that for???” Thinking fast I responded, “Birthday bubbly. Why not?” As I filled our glasses for a cheers we started that cutesy talk “be mine forever” which is exactly what is was hoping would happen. That was my cue to go snag the ring that I had cleverly tucked behind the cereal boxes when putting groceries away. “How about for REAL this time, it would be the best birthday present if…” I said as I got down on one knee. I’m not sure if any more words came out of my mouth before shrieks and yells of “yes yes yes yes”.