A Love
Story

After three years of teaching and exploring in Thailand, I moved back to the States during COVID and ended up staying in the Aspen Valley to be near my parents. Being completely new to the area, I decided to brave the dating apps, but quickly realized the Aspen dating pool was more of a puddle. After swiping and seeing the exact same ten guys on a loop, the fatigue really set in.

But then, a strikingly handsome guy in a blue peacoat caught my eye. I thought he had potential, but still weighed down by the small-town app options, I mustered up just enough energy to send a simple, slightly defeated 👋 on Bumble.

Sean, playing it cool, didn't reply right away. But just before our match expired, I gave it one last shot: "I swear I’ve either met you in person or we matched before? Lol." Sean smoothly replied, "Let’s just assume we’ve never matched before and met in a dream. You know, like fate."

Fate had a funny way of working. A week later, Sean boldly called me right in the middle of my dad’s birthday dinner. I stepped away to return his call, and the very first words out of his mouth when he answered were, "She calls back." He made it seem like a test, and I had officially passed the entrance exam simply by having the confidence to call him back. We agreed to a date, and quickly realized there was a spark, sharing sweet, early moments bonding over music as he played the piano and guitar while I effortlessly sang along. I could see in his eyes that was the moment he thought, "Oh, this could be something special."

Our second date truly tested our adventurous spirits. Sean took me snowboarding at Snowmass Mountain and, without having the slightest clue if I actually knew how to ride, led me on a hike up to Long Shot—the longest run on the mountain—for our very first lap. Thankfully, I easily kept up, proving right then and there that I was ready for whatever wild ride he had in store.

Despite our undeniable chemistry, we eventually hit a crossroads. Sean was pouring his heart into building his startup, Aircada, and while we cared deeply for one another, the timing felt off. Knowing I wanted a partner ready to put me first, I decided I wasn't going to wait around forever and considered moving away to find exactly that.

Realizing he was on the brink of losing me, Sean went all in. He showed up at the elementary school where I taught, walking in with a bouquet of flowers to profess his feelings right in front of all my second-graders. But the ultimate grand gesture came shortly after. I had decided to embark on a three-month trip to Europe, determined to make it happen no matter what. While I had friends meeting me in different countries along the way, I was supposed to be exploring Italy completely alone. Instead, Sean hopped a flight to surprise me. Surrounded by the romance of the country, we finally stopped fighting it, gave in, and fell completely in love.

Since that unforgettable Italian detour, we’ve traveled the world side-by-side, exploring everywhere from Nicaragua to Napa and the Netherlands. But one place holds a profoundly deep meaning: Kauai. For Sean, it’s a place woven with family history—winters spent growing up, time spent caring for his grandmother, and the beautiful shores where he laid his father's ashes to rest. Now, as the destination where we will finally say "I do," it is about to become a beautifully special place for me, too.

Our greatest adventure yet began on a misty, rainy Monday morning in Germany. Sean's parents were married at the Neuschwanstein Castle, and knowing what a hopeless romantic I am, he chose to weave that family history into our story by planning a beautiful castle proposal of our own. With the morning showers keeping the crowds away, Sean got down on one knee at the enchanting Burg Eltz castle. We spent the following days celebrating our engagement on the Amalfi Coast, bringing our love story beautifully full circle back to Italy, the very country where we first chose each other.

I couldn't be more excited for this next chapter, and we are so thrilled to share the magic of Kauai with the people we love most.