Once upon a time, on Lanikai Beach, a guy threw a stick for his dog to fetch. His dog, however, ran straight toward a woman’s perfectly placed beach towel. The man walked over and said, “This usually works.” Well, dear gentle reader, it had never worked before — but this time? Miraculously, it did.

It was supposed to be just another summer romance: a girl on vacation and a guy about to leave for deployment. They were supposed to say goodbye after her trip. But sometimes, the best stories don’t follow the plan. From that day on, despite the long distance, they took turns visiting each other and exploring new places together — California, Virginia, New York, the Carolinas, and Florida.

On one of their adventures, the couple was on a road trip to visit Utah’s National Parks. On the very last day, the guy insisted they go back to Zion National Park for a hike. Alas, the parking lot was full, so the girl suggested they just head back to Las Vegas instead. As they were driving out of the park, the guy couldn’t hold it any longer. He told her to stop the car, stepped out, and with shaky hands proposed right there — at a bus stop.

Our love story may not be straight out of a fairytale book, but it is full of love, laughter, adventure, and us, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.