These early dates are obviously inaccurate-but it all began some time in 1990. Kindergarten pals who bonded over having summer birthdays and jumping off of bunk beds. Little rascals to say the least.

Sweat pants on repeat, same Micky mouse shirt-clearly our bond was beyond the physical cuteness of elementary school.

SeaSea’s family relocated to Colorado in 1994. Still holding on tight to all her friendships (somethings never change), she returned to Oregon for 8th grade graduation. By then she had ‘blossomed’ a bit and Andy took notice. The combination of teenage hormones and slow dancing sparked a crush that would last a lifetime. (Pictures withheld for the consideration of all middle-schoolers everywhere-and we don’t have any of us together from this fantastically awkward phase) The hormone surge kicked off hand written letters and birthday phone calls for the next many years until Andy and Erik visited Colorado for spring break their senior year of college (check out the hair!). They spent a fun filled few days together where their friendship and flirtation grew. However, Andy being the gentleman that he is, made no moves whatsoever.

Even though they didn’t see each other for over a decade, they stayed in touch throughout their 20s and early 30s keeping tabs on all of their galavanting across the globe (mostly Andy's). Thank goodness Andy's cousin decided to come to Denver University for school-it offered an excuse to come out for a ski trip (and to see SeaSea-though we’ll never know which was the true motivator here ;)) and for the adult crushes to really take hold. Seeing Andy at baggage claim at DIA, SeaSea decided then and there than this man was all she ever wanted. SeaSea thought this would be it. This would be when they finally could be together. Andy however, wasn't ready and the idea of a long distance relationship wasn't appealing to either of them. It was not yet their time.

We all know the trials and tribulations of 2020. We will spare you the details but remind you that Andy was fresh out of a big relationship and this was the first time as adults that they got to hang out for more than a weekend. Andy came to Colorado for about a month and they adventured all around the state together.

Their dogs got to meet. They camped, they hiked, they cooked, and really tried to see if there was a spark there. SeaSea knew it. This was meant to be. For Andy though, not quite ready to acknowledge how deeply he loved her, wasn't ready for a relationship with her. The trip ended with poor communication and hurt hearts. Needless to say, it was still not their time.

This is where it starts to get good: After nearly three years of missed birthday phone calls and no other communication (healing takes a long time)-Andy found out that SeaSea happened to be living in Portland again. As the honorable man the he is, he reached out to rebuild the friendship. Now that SeaSea was fresh out of an extraordinarily strange relationship, they took their time, making sure not to repeat their past mistakes. Living in the present moment, enjoying the reality of who each of them had grown to be enabled them to truly see how perfect they are for each other. Making sure to stay grounded in reality, they often ask each other, "do you want to hang out tomorrow?" This is also around the time that SeaSea learned that Andy TOO had kept some hadn't written letters from 8th grade (he made fun her at one point for keeping the letters he had written her), that she had been his password for many years, and that somehow, he hadn't realized how deeply he had loved her all along.

By May the flirting was obvious (SeaSea even accidentally kissed him once-for real it was an accident) and the time spent was together never enough. The adventures continued and they had more and more fun learning about each other and deepening their friendship. It wasn't all sunshine and butterflies however; SeaSea’s car was stolen and she had nowhere to live for a stretch while waiting for a travel work assignment to start. On paper-a real hot mess. She was alone in a city that was no longer home and with no family near by; Andy and his family showed up with unwavering support and without judgments. Andy was having ‘big feelings’ that he didn’t quite know what to do with (you can imagine how overwhelming it would be to finally acknowledge the untapped love for a person who had been there all along!!??). SeaSea was reminded time and time again that she would be the luckiest lady alive to get to spend forever with this man (and at the very least, tomorrow).

As the year went on, they kept the good times rolling-living out of duffel bags together until all the pieces came together. Finding light and silliness whenever they could allowed them to weather the storms of life, further strengthening their love for one another. With every challenge, they grew closer and more sure that this. is. it.

Back to where Andy drove to meet SeaSea back in 2020, in one of her best friend’s backyard near Aspen-Andy proposed in the most understated perfect way possible. "Do you want to hang out tomorrow?" He asked under "our" special aspen trees. "Of course I do," SeaSea replied. :::Dora and Huxley loudly yell at and chase a deer on the other side of the property::: "Do you want to hang out forever?" He asked with the ring in full view. SeaSea's jaw hit the ground :::gum falling out of her mouth::: she asked "are you for real?" And forgot to answer the important question. So he reminded that she had to say ‘yes’ her as she was hugging him in disbelief that their dreams were coming true. "YES! OF COURSE." Their adrenaline then went in opposite directions; Andy came down from the anticipation and took a nap and SeaSea and went grocery shopping cause she couldn't keep still.

Nearly a year after rekindling their friendship, meeting all the family, bouncing from state to state, they finally relocated to Denver, Colorado where they FINALLY are settling down, unpacking the duffle bags, and reveling in the life they are building together.