Hola. It’s been a minute. And a lot has happened. Like an ENGAGEMENT. March 25th, 2017 to be exact. We’ve been engaged for exactly two months and it has flown by. There’s so much fun stuff to celebrate and do and plan and I’m still staring at my ring every five seconds. Of course I wanted to capture our story, because it’s the sweetest. (dudes, take notes.) Jake put a lot of thought into this special day and it was perfect. We set off from our house to hike Wallace Falls, like a normal Saturday hike, so I thought. Except I did keep asking why weren’t going to explore a new hike, and kept getting a vague answer like, “This is your favorite one, we can just do this one. We are meeting friends nearby afterward.” Note: there is nothing “nearby” Wallace Falls that is good to meet friends, that should have been my first clue.

(most photos courtesy of Cameron Lowell)

The last half mile he trudged ahead and because he’s a beast marathoner and I am, well, just not, I kept my pace up the steep trail and even made a friend whose husband was trying to do the same to her. As I got closer to the top of the falls I saw Jake peak his head around a tree and then run up and away. I just thought he was checking on me.

So I get to the top and he is beyond the safety rails and asks me to come over with him. As we were standing five inches from a 500 foot cliff drop, he put his arm around me and we talked for a moment. Then he turned and my heart started racing. He got down on one knee on the side of a cliff in the rain and asked to start our forever. My ring was nothing I would have ever picked out for myself, but it was instantly my most favorite thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. And he put so much time and care into making it a family heirloom for us, that I was entirely speechless at its beauty and him.

He also had a friend hiding up there with a camera documenting the entire morning, who then handed over a bag of cups and champagne after I overcame my shock. Right after he proposed the sun came out and I just remember feeling it’s warmth on my cheeks as I tried to catch my breath from being so shocked. I’ve never in my life felt so happy, surprised, shaky, and giddy all at the same time.

When I came-to like three hours later, I realized I was wearing leggings, carrying a huge pack (to break it in), and got engaged at the top of a massive waterfall on camera, with spray hitting us in the face, and then got to walk down the trail sipping champagne. I kept saying, “Is this real life?” And of course I told everyone we passed on the way down the three mile trail that we had just gotten engaged. Even the Boy Scout troop, who took our picture, gave us marriage advice and posted us on their Facebook page as a testament to why trail maintenance is important. – Happy to be an outdoors use case, we are so lucky to have found each other and to be on this adventure for life. When we made it to the car we called everyone we know pretty much, then took ourselves on a celebratory tour of our neighborhood. It still hasn’t worn off or sank in that this IS real life. So real that I found someone to counter my type-A, bossy, animal-loving heart, who isn’t afraid to dream and explore with me, who always knows the best thing for me and is willing to go above and beyond, and for those things I’m so very grateful. Now it’s go time to plan the destination wedding of our dreams. Somewhere with waterfalls…

Cheers to bling and hikes and finding a partner who is adventurous  ~ Amanda