6.23.18 - Portland, OR
Our first meeting was only supposed to be a quick drink as Katie had a "birthday party" to attend (ultimately fake), but we actually ended talking for five plus hours at Pope House in NW, Portland and every day thereafter.
Important Context:
We were first connected through Chris' brother Jay, who Katie had worked with at an ad agency in Southern California.
Chris was on a West Coast trip checking out a few cities to see where he wanted to move next, after having lived on the East Coast his whole life.
Katie had been on a bad brunch date that morning and wasn't too enthused about meeting up with her friend's brother, especially since she had tried to stalk him on social media (as any single woman would do) and literally thought he was someone else. She was pleasantly surprised when she rounded the corner to meet him and realized it wasn't who she was expecting.
We both thought this was a one and done friendly drink...thankfully, it wasn't!
Different Time Zones, Opposite Sides of The Country
When it became apparent this wasn't just a fling and that Chris was seriously thinking about moving to Portland, we really go to know each other during long nightly phone calls and meet-ups in various parts of the country. We introduced friends and family, danced at weddings, asked all the fun and hard questions, and truly fell in love.
Chris (not a night owl) would frequently stay up past midnight (EST) to talk to Katie, asking each other hypotheticals like, "what does your ideal date night look like?" or "how long would you have to date someone before moving in with them?" The answer to this particular question changed over time, as we both realized that the original plan for Chris to get an apartment when he moved now made no sense.
Already having done the 2,400 miles apart, neither of us wanted to wait to begin our lives together under one roof.
The Move
After a year apart, it was time for Chris to move across the country. He left on the last day of school in Baltimore and after a tearful goodbye to many dear friends, hit the road on a nine-day adventure across the country.
His stops included: Columbus, Chicago, Minneapolis, Spearfish, Bozeman, Jackson, Boise and finally, Portland. Chris went to the Badlands, the Black Hills and Yellowstone. He saw the Cubs play at Wrigley, crossed the Mississippi River, slept in a teepee, saw antelope play on the range, a moose in Yellowstone and did a solo 14-mile hike in the Tetons.
While in Chicago Chris interviewed virtually for a teaching job in Portland and accepted of course, while in a brewery (he later was offered and took his dream job as Vice Principal at Lincoln High School, Katie's alma mater).
At the conclusion, Chris walked under a "Welcome Home" sign, though the yellow door (now red) on Burlwood...and into the rest of their lives.
Didn't Go As Planned, But Ended Up Just Perfect
The proposal was supposed to be in May. Chris had planned it all out, asked her parents and was taking his time to pick the ring (after a few trips to the jeweler with Katie). They were going to be on a trip to the East Coast to visit his family and he had even asked his sister if he could propose on her birthday. Everything was lining up.
Then Katie tore her ACL for the third time (love of soccer), putting a little wrench in the works. Katie's surgery was scheduled for April, so the proposal moved up one month, no problem right?
Wrong. The COVID-19 pandemic had begun. At the beginning, things shut down quickly, as no one knew what we were dealing with. Elaborate plans of renting a spot for drinks with all of our friends went out the window. Chris, in contact with Katie's mom and best friend, decided to get down on one knee the day after he got the ring.
At that point, gatherings of 10 were still allowed. The day was March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day and one of her favorite holidays. Katie's parents were hosting a dinner party to celebrate which is nothing out of the ordinary, so there wasn't any suspicion there.
Chris was going to propose at Council Crest Park, a place they had gone when they first met. The tricky part was getting Katie there before dinner, but luckily it was on the way. She could tell Chris was acting differently but didn't have any idea a proposal was coming. Chris had secretly asked Katie's sister, Meg to camp out for the perfect picture.
Chris proposed, doesn't remember exactly what he said and Katie, who doesn't remember either said, "yes" shaking with excitement as he slipped the ring on her finger.
Chris had invited a few of Katie's friends, her godmothers and family to be at her parent's house so they headed over to an intimate celebration as an engaged couple. Smiles didn't leave their faces all night.
Universe Had Other Plans
As was the case for many other couples, due to COVID-19 Katie and Chris unfortunately had to postpone their wedding. Thank you for putting the new date on your calendar, as having you there is the most important thing we can ask of you.
While putting the wedding on hold was hard, COVID allowed us time for many roadtrips and visiting new states, exploring Oregon, seeing close friends, working on the yard, getting a few knee surgeries and last but not least, adding a new furry member to our family.
Pretzel brings a smile to our faces every day and is loved more than he will ever know, even when he steals all our socks.
Nothing will stop our wedding in 2022 and we truly hope you can all join us, vaccinated and carefree!