For those already familiar with our story, thank you. We ...I... know it took me ""too long"" to propose. A love like ours was captured in a day, we'll have stories from this past decade to tell forever, and we have forever to write the rest.

Two young campers looking forward to disappearing into the woods for a week, Alyssa was 12 years old and fresh out of 6th grade. I was 11 and just out of, yes, elementary school. But I will always remember arriving to camp a little anxious, but so excited. I don't remember if my nerves calmed down when I saw Lyssa across the field playing tether ball. She was waiting for everyone to arrive, a trend of waiting for me that has never changed. But I know she came up to say hi and my excitement for camp was taken over by my excitement to know the pretty girl in the Orioles cabin. I should be clear that I was not the only one with this goal, but through the next two weeks something seemed to spark, as we would each race down to the barn before breakfast and sign up for the same activities, would hang out by the lake doing crosswords and would howl across the campground late at night just to hear each other.

It was the love story that "lasts a summer" and as many do, we became the young dream of the one that got away. For nearly two years that was the case, until by "chance" (Our moms)we were the only two campers to advertise the camp at a local convention. I remember getting that matching yoyo, it still sits above my computer. Cool, right? Sure, but I got her number there too.

After years of texting, childish flirting that neither of us knew was flirting, we finally gave up hope and knew the other person just didn't feel the same way. Yes, we were bad at this.

But it was meant to be when my phone rang the one time I ever went into Zumiez, a store at the mall.

"Hey are you at the mall? ..Turn around"

And there she was, the one that got away. Not this time though, one more awkward stage of texting back and fourth for weeks. But this time we finally hung out to have a bonfire and read through all of our old messages. Looking into her eyes as she read "lol just watching tv, u?" Oh I could really hear her flirting this time.

Jokes aside, we fell in love that night. Two weeks later I asked her out with camo duct tape on my wall that spelled "Be Mine?" It was all I had, but it worked. We danced and danced to Jack Johnson's "Do you Remember" and have every aspect of that moment saved in our hearts.

Registry