It was the morning of Wednesday, November 30, also known as my 27th birthday. I woke up and went to feed the dog (first thing I always do), but in his dish there was a little paper scroll rolled up and tied with a red ribbon. On the outside it read "Happy Birthday" and on the inside I found a clue in the form of a short poem, sending me on a scavenger hunt! Perfect for me! I love scavenger hunts. So Nate followed me around the house, inside and outside in the snow to the truck and back, as I continued to find each clue, accompanied by a gift, there were 9 of them total, and really great gifts too! The last one came with a sweet card that ended with "Now for the last scroll" but there wasn't a clue this time. So I turned around and there was Nate, who began to tell me all the things a girl wants to hear, and then proceeded to pull the last scroll out of his back pocket, this time held together not by a ribbon, but a beautiful ring, and on the outside it read "Will you marry me?" and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I managed to get out a "HECK YES!" in between tears, and that is how my 27th year began!
We are SO excited and so thankful for everyone's support about our decision. The planning is definitely under way, and we hope to get married next summer here in Bozeman. This most likely will have a grounding influence on any travel plans for the upcoming year, but we have reached a point in our lives where that might just be a small sacrifice in comparison to getting married! We are very much looking forward to this next adventure, right here in a place that we love so much.
Maya Bay, Kho Phi Phi Leh, Thailand -- Setting of "The Beach"
