The summer of 2011, Olivia and her twin brother Max were asked by a family friend (Duane Wantland) who worked for the Everett Police Department, if they were interested in joining his wife and daughter as role players for an officer training he was in charge of planning at the coast. Both kids jumped at the chance to hang out with Duane’s family, as well as law enforcement personnel for a few days of training. Acting out training scenarios sounded like a good time to the twins who enjoyed competing against each other. Soon they realized outsmarting those in training was a challenge, too. Good food, a night of sleep without the interruption of cattle getting out at the family farm, and mutual respect for the work officers do day in and day out developed. Some laughs rounded out this first experience.
Max’s participation in training waned as he worked longshoring competing for hours to move up in the union seniority structure. Olivia, interested for a while in a Law Enforcement career (She paired a minor in Law and Justice with a BS in Business Administration.) continued the annual training.

While Olivia was growing up riding horses on family property in Cowlitz County, Ryley was raised in rural Naselle in Pacific County. Ryley’s middle and high school years were dominated by the sport of football. Eventually he left home to study at Eastern Washington University, but returned to Pacific County to serve with the sheriff’s department and coach his favorite sport in a community he appreciates for investing in his upbringing.
Ryley and Olivia met in August 2021 at one of the police trainings. All Olivia had to say about their first meet was that she remembered hiding behind a door, jumping out and startling Ryley enough that he screamed. Ryley retorts that it was NOT as Olivia described “like a girl.” Ryley recalls making a mental note that he needed to keep track of Olivia. It was becoming obvious that she enjoyed the element of surprise employing unique bait and hide tactics.

Before the three days of training were up, Olivia was consistently catching Ryley’s eye. He did detective work asking if Olivia was dating anyone. He discovered that she was at the time, so he didn’t reach out with any direct contact.

August 2022 rolled around and Ryley and Olivia both made their way back to Camp Rilea in Warrenton, WA. When Ryley spotted Olivia, it is reported he turned to some of his co-workers and said, “We are in serious trouble! My advice is to ALWAYS know where she is. She will surprise you from the rafters and dark corners!” After another three days, Ryley decided he wanted to pursue having Olivia on his team rather than as an opponent! Of course work is work and duty is duty. Ryley, always one to uphold legal professionalism, waited to ask for Olivia’s phone number until 30 seconds AFTER the training was declared over.

When questioned about Ryley’s first message to Olivia, she responded with, “He said something along the lines of - Let’s make sure we don’t make it a year before we hang out again.” Olivia returned home but decided she should play a little hard to get. She made sure she replied to Ryley’s texts but planned some strategic time breaks to not appear overly anxious.

Olivia invited Ryley to her family’s New Year’s Eve game night but his boss put a damper on the meeting due to a work related obligation. Ryley followed up shortly with an invite to attend his mid-January birthday party hosted by (co-best man, Logan Macomber) closer to where Olivia lives. Olivia has never been a coward but meeting multiple friends of Ryley’s at once seemed a bit daunting and she actually declined.

After talking on the phone for hours in her car that dreary winter night with (co-maid of honor) Cameron Moodenbaugh, Olivia impulsively texted Ryley a happy birthday greeting. He replied instantly that he was surprised she was still awake. She admitted then that she let her car battery die while engaged in conversation with her friend. Ryley immediately offered his (and loyal friend ( Logan - co best man’s) services for a rescue. The damsel in distress was delivered safely to the farm where she conducted a chilly flashlight tour for the duo as winter ice warmed.

Ryley participated in the annual Guns and Hoses fundraiser basketball game, a big event in Pacific County about this time. Besides the indignity of losing to firefighters, Ryley found himself with an injury that required medical attention. The orthopedist prescribed physical therapy. Ryley requested sensible care in Astoria because it was closer to home. He was assigned appointments in Longview. After it dawned on Ryley that this arrangement put him closer to where Olivia lived, he did NOT call to change the location. A different plan seemed to be falling into place.

An invitation was extended to Olivia asking if she wanted to meet Ryley for lunch before his physical therapy appointment. Olivia pondered all this and decided lunch in the middle of the day not only sounded safe enough but it would have an end (the appointment). One date led to another (how convenient that physical therapy needs to happen at regular intervals)!

By Spring 2023, Ryley was showing up on the farm to pitch in with just about any project Olivia was working on rather than Olivia disappearing to town for those pivotal lunches. Olivia made arrangements at this time to buy a horse. This necessitated a trip to Eastern Washington. Ryley offered to help her drive. Olivia had a few questions for before she considered a co-pilot. Had he ever towed a trailer? When he said he hadn’t really had a reason to tow a trailer, she followed up with further interrogation, “Have you ever actually driven a stick shift? Olivia quickly realized that while farm girls grow up with stick shifts, automatics are preferred for patrol vehicles! Later, Olivia found out that Ryley did have a farmer uncle with a fleet of stick shift vehicles. Was Uncle Mike contacted for lessons? Ask him at the wedding! (Olivia DID enjoy Ryley’s company on the trip, even if she never let him drive.)

At some point there were a few conversations about where their relationship might be going. Olivia was frank about wanting to take their friendship slow. Later a rumor circled that Ryley might have asked exactly how long the timelines for “slow” actually were.

Summer 2023 flew by! Ryley entertained Olivia’s nephews with her often. He learned new board games at Heather and Kyle’s. He persevered through the family Missions Conference for the entire weekend. They went to each other’s churches and met each other’s friends. Ryley set up tables, served drinks, took down decorations at one wedding after another. Olivia started planning a trip overseas to visit her sisters and their families. Ryley persuaded Olivia to also consider a trip with his family to Hawaii. Ryley spent a lot of time on the farm. Ryley got involved in a lot of projects (especially fence building).

At this point, Christmas came and went. It was only fair that Olivia’s family should contribute toward one of Ryley’s projects. Heather and Kyle (with some flooring expertise having just completed a project at their place) show up with their boys to help. Joe and Debbie managed a few Christmas break days from the farm hauling in food for the troops This is where relationships are tested and both families got to meet… on their knees until the wee hours of the morning troubleshooting how to get the “easy-to-snap-together- pieces to actually do what the box claimed!

Then…Ryley had a conversation with Olivia’s father about a ring. Susan asked when that ring might be presented after their extended family all arrived in Hawaii. Ryley said he wasn’t certain, but he planned to carry it along with him for the perfect moment. That moment was photographed in a cave on the Road to Hanna after Ryley asked a passer-by to take a few pics of them. Olivia went to take Ryley’s phone (camera) back from the kind stranger, when Ryley spoke up with, “Just one more, please. And… at that moment… he dropped to his knee… and that is how Olivia and Ryley’s story began…