It’s August. HOW?! Time is simultaneously in warp speed and extreme slow-mo. Our family is headed towards yet another transition time as I start a new role at work, and we try and figure out what the new schedule will be with Evie headed to virtual Kindergarten and Conrad going back to daycare. It feels like every decision I might is the wrong one (or maybe not the best one) which only fuels my stress. As the pandemic wages on, we have to continually weigh our needs as a family against our own mental health, and consider the potential risks to exposure or spread of the virus.
I think I need another vacation.
But in all seriousness what I can’t help but go back to, even when I feel stressed and overwhelmed, is how freakin’ lucky and privileged Andy and I are in all this. We have jobs, we have SOME options (even if they still feel not great), we have the money to pay for a tutor to help Evie with Kindergarten …. and the list goes on. My heart continues to break for (and I am doing the best I can to donate/help/etc) to those that have less than us.
Changing gears a bit, it’s always good to recharge my emotions with blog posts, especially ones that remind us that love is STILL HAPPENING even during the pandemic. We have a super cute surprise proposal on the blog today!
Amie grew up in Bel Air, MD, and Alex grew up in several areas of New Jersey. Amie went to Towson University, and Alex went Bucknell University, and we both ended up taking jobs in Baltimore. We lived in the same city for many years but never met, but Amie has searched the background of the pictures to see if Alex was there. We haven’t found a picture yet, but the hunt is still on!
We met on a dating site, and we exchanged messages for several weeks before we actually met in person in Bethesda at Olazzo. It was like all first dates go, but we both felt like this could be something. We both wanted a second date quickly because it took so long for us to meet for the first time. We had a second date the next weekend at the Victoria’s Gastro Pub, even though Alex was not feeling well.
Before we knew it, we were spending every weekend together and building something special.
He proposed after we had our last Sunday brunch in the city, and we were walking our dog, Cody, in Patterson Park. A man came up to us and was asking about the dog. He asked if he could take pictures of us, and we said sure. A few pictures later, Amie was putting Cody down to continue our walk, and turned around for a huge surprise, captured beautifully by the hired photographer. The moment was ended by people yelling in the park to put the ring on her finger!
