“Dear Life, what’s your plan? Is where I’m supposed to be right where I am? If it is, then I’m not leavin’. If it ain’t, then I’ll keep dreaming. Dear life, what’s your plan.” ~ Dear Life, High Valley

Hello, my friends new and old, today I have a story to tell you that follows last week’s journey of meeting my partner.

November 11, 2017, my partner completed her first marathon and watching her cross that finish line was one of the best moments of my life.

Then…back in our hotel room, she asked me to marry her. So of course, I asked her to marry me back. We’re so much alike we had planned to propose on the same day and who knew life could be this good. I guess you could say 2017 is shaping up to be a pretty good year.

It still doesn’t feel quite real but when you walk into a room full of running friends and they celebrate your engagement with you when your family does not…it starts to feel real.

I am feeling joy–pure joy that I never thought I could feel. In one of the happiest moments of my life, those who are most important to me are celebrating with me. In one of the happiest moments of my life, not everyone I want to celebrate with me will. But nothing steals this joy. This joy that perhaps a lot of us have been told we’re not allowed to experience or undeserving of experiencing.

Let me tell you this: Life is not a bed of roses. But it is beautifully chaotic and wonderful.

It’s a life spent enjoying long walks watching sunsets even when we’re both exhausted.

It’s a life spent crying when the pain gets too much but having someone to hold you when you cry.

It’s a life spent waiting for the love of your life to cross the finish line and knowing you’ll one day call her wife.

It’s a life spent living so loud that your forever echoes in the dark.

“I wanna leave my mark
Love til it breaks my heart
Live so loud that my forever
Echoes in the dark 
I wanna leave my mark
Love til it breaks my heart 
Live so loud that my forever
Echoes in the dark”