Seeing an empty DVD shelf as I watched him packing sparked an epic crying jag about a month or so before OC D-day, so my fella and I decided to set aside a couple of weekends for just the two of us to spend some time together amid all the errands and chaos of getting ready for his move. I had been fighting off the feeling that my home was disappearing around me and I told him I needed to have a healthy stock of good memories to think about on the days I’d be missing him like crazy.
The first weekend we stayed in town, but for the second Cuddle Extravaganza Weekend—a week before he was leaving town, we decided to go to the Olympic Peninsula, the eerie, lush rainforest that’s been a favorite weekend getaway of ours for years. We were near the place Twilight was set; a misty paradise with millions of trees and shades of green—a place we relished long before Hollywood committed its beauty to film and made it the backdrop for Edward and Bella’s star-crossed love affair.
View from the top of the Rainshow Trail
We camped out at Heart of the Hills and had planned to go to Hurricane Ridge, but a rockslide blocked the road and we had to change our plan. And it was probably for the best; I was pretty maimed from wearing inappropriate footwear on a day hike the previous afternoon. He really wanted to do the whole hike and I’m totally out of shape, but I went along with it. I *may* have been pretty pissed at him for guilt-tripping me into doing the whole thing when it was more than I could handle. I *may* have pitched a fit three quarters of the way through the hike. I *may* have channeled my bitterness into coining it the Mahoney Death March Hike. Not a great start to the weekend, but alas I digress…
The second day we had breakfast in Port Angeles at a great little diner and then went Deer Park; another nearby recreation area in the Olympic National Park. We went up to this trail called the Rainshadow Trail which has the most amazing view of the Olympics, Port Angeles, everything…so profoundly beautiful.
The video camera was a constant companion over the course of the weekend since he still had to gather footage for a biographical video due the first week of class. As we were hiking up the hill, he with the camera case and our picnic backpack, and me with the tri-pod slung over my shoulder, I was joking with him that I felt like I was going on a shoot for work. He was kind of cagey about it and said, “Well, it shouldn’t feel like work—it’s Cuddle Extravaganza Weekend!” The tone in his voice was the first clue that something was up.
He set up the camera up and was shooting the whole 360-view from up on a little hill above where I was just standing and enjoying the view. I was hoping this would be the place he’d propose, but I was just enjoying the view. 
After awhile, he came down to where I was standing and got one knee. He said, “It doesn’t get any better than this, I want to be with you always. Will you marry me?” It was hilarious that after 7 years, he actually seemed nervous. He actually forgot to take the ring box out of the outer box…it was hilarious. I said, “Umm…I’m going to have to think about it.” He looked at me like I was nuts, “You have to think about it?!” And then I told him I was just messing with him and yes, of course I’ll marry him.
After all the hugs and kisses, he said, “I better go turn the camera off.” I totally didn’t realize he’d left it on and framed the shot so we’d have the whole thing on film. Too cute! I haven’t watched it, but I’m super happy that he did that.
I don’t know if it was because of how stressed things had been before and how perfect it felt to be outside and to relax at last, but the whole weekend felt so surreal, like a waking dream. We even saw some wildlife on the way back down the trail.
A little friend we met on the way back down the trail...
I think the best part is that I get to call him my fiancé—it just feels right, so much better than boyfriend or partner. And I get to buy bridal magazines and think about what the wedding will be like, even though we’re not going to get married until he’s done with school. I had put all of that stuff out of my head for so long that it feels like such an indulgence to think about it now. I have 3 years to indulge myself and that makes me really happy. We’ll be celebrating our 10 year anniversary by getting married! How rare is that?
