Rewinding back to January of 2017...

Amanda volunteers for Marklund in Geneva, IL. For years she lost track counting, she would go to outings with the residents, supervisors, and other volunteers. One of the outings in particular was a Target retail store in North Aurora. The group went in together, gathered the essentials for the residents and proceeded to the checkout.

Amanda went to the checkout as well for she got a couple of things she wanted to purchase. While waiting, she noticed a young man with a fashionable fedora hat, mutely grey with the black trim and a feather as a charming embellishment. She took a liking for that certain hat, as she was getting into fedora hats at the time.

"I like your hat!" Amanda expresses her compliment to the man in front of her.

The man turns to her, probably wanted to say thanks or whatever Amanda thinks what he would say. Instead, he paused and took a look at her for the moment. Then he asked, "Have we meet somewhere before?"

Eyes a bit widen from surprise, but she then swiftly responded, "No, I don't think so." Amanda would think, if they had ever meant before, it would be in a community college.

In this moment, it was the first time they met. Then it foreshadows it will not be the last, for one of the supervisors noticed. Something, something, checking each other out, something, something, chemistry brewing, something, something, sparks! Amanda giggled at the notion, being all about, yeah, she wanted to compliment the hat that the man was wearing. She didn't think it wasn't anything more.

Until, after more trips to the same Target for outings, Amanda started to see more of the same man, who was apparently an employee there. It was more evident that she became interested. He is quite a handsome fellow, and it was enough that she wants to muster up the courage to ask him out. Her Marklund group were supportive of her, and even it was stalker-like behavior, Amanda's intentions were truthfully not malicious. She was trying to make that first move for the first time in her life. Because, how often a woman asks a man out when it's usually the other way around?

Then, in June of the same year, on that Tuesday evening on a Marklund outing in Target, it was now or never. With little time to spare as the bus getting ready to depart, Amanda went to find the man she was interested in. She found him nearby the changing room, still in uniform, and got his attention. She then introduced herself, and bravely asked him would he like to go out for some coffee. She mentally prepared for a rejection, so she was genuinely surprised when the man replied "Sure." They exchanged numbers, so they can figured out the first date later. Until then, Amanda returns to her Marklund group triumphant and she told them the news of having a new date.

That handsome young fellow whom she had courageously asked out, and succeed, was Stefan.

Needless to say, the rest of history.

Fast-forwarding to the June of 2024...

As a fun day trip to get away from the hefty roles and responsibilities, the couple traveled to St. Louis, Missouri. There, they toured the famous architecture, The Arch, where Amanda bravely rides to the very top for the first time. For Stefan, it was the second time. When they reached the summit, it was worth the courage to see the breathtakingly views of the city. They concluded the tour with the museum under The Arch where they displayed countless history of lore.

After having lunch at a local pub, they went to the St. Louis Art Museum, where they partake in the historical and modern arts. Paintings, sculptures, mixed media, it was fine arts heaven for aspiring artist like Amanda. It seems like hours walking about the hallways. Then the day trip was about to end. The couple left the city to travel back home and stopped to have dinner along the way.

Perhaps it was the mind playing tricks on her, but Amanda had this strange feeling lately. The timeline goes like this:

They have been dating since 2017...

Amanda moved in with Stefan at the apartments on the summer of 2021...

They bought a house together in a nick of time on 2023, and have been living there since...

And yet, as some would wondered, why no proposing yet? Why not putting a ring on it? For 8 years, no question was popped. Until that very moment...

The couple arrived home that evening after that fun yet exhausting day trip. Already, Amanda sat the couch and began to untie her shoes, her mind focused on the task.

Without any warning, Stefan took out the blue box and opened it. Then he asked her, "Will you marry me?"

Caught off guard, Amanda swiftly responded, "Wait, what?" All day she had thought she was going to get proposed either on the very summit of the St. Louis Arch, or outside of the St. Louis Art Museum. But never had it crossed her mind that she would get proposed on that very couch in their living room while she was untying her shoes.

It was a little romantic for a setting and circumstance, but Amanda wouldn't have it in other way. Regardless, after she realized what was going on, she then answered, "Yes."

And again, the rest is history.

But their future has just begun.