One of the first things that struck me about Dan was the catchphrase “Are you ready for the next adventure?” The adventure in question could be a new flavor of latte (often involving lavender), getting lost in a state park, or even just the next leg of a long car journey in the blowing snow. It encapsulates Dan’s optimism and zest for life, not to mention the spark that has been growing in my life since I met him. In February, it was also a marriage proposal.

Walking through the snow at Mahoney State Park, he asked if I was ready for the next adventure. I said, “Yes.” 🥂

Dan and I are getting married on June 3, 2023!

We are planning this wedding in the midst of a hectic work season: tax deadlines for him (he is a tax attorney) and annual statements and Department travel coordination for me. These have been the chief thieves of time and brain capacity. Dan, while still based in his firm’s central Nebraska offices, has been working out of the Lincoln office Fridays and Saturdays and sleeping on the futon in my tiny apartment so we can actually spend time together.

We’ve explored state parks and conservation woods, art and history museums, and orchards. He was there when I discovered new-to-me butterflies and paused mid-sentence to listen to a random bird. We’ve browsed bookstores, ice cream parlors, and wine sellers; tasted bad wine, weird cocktails, and heavenly champagne. We’ve driven through snow storms and deserts. We talk about what’s bothering us, pet-peeves, and honest opinions. The goal isn’t to agree on everything but to respect and support each other. It has been that way from the beginning.

We share a love of history and while ours will be a Roman Catholic and Presbyterian marriage, we have compatible ideas about faith and life. He is a safe person, encouraging me to think better of myself. We are already a great team, already tested by a winter road trip from Central Nebraska to Eastern Indiana through a snow storm and the unique challenge of planning a wedding (and perhaps house-searching) in the middle of tax season. I couldn’t think of a better partner.

My ring is a sapphire between two diamonds set inside Celtic knots. The sapphire itself will look slightly different depending on the light: sometimes light blue, sometimes a tinge of purple, sometimes dark, vibrant and sparkling. I wanted something more unique than a diamond, something with deeper roots in tradition and history.

In the Middle Ages, bishops wore the sapphire as a symbol of Heaven; Mary Queen of Scots had a medicinal sapphire to soothe her eyes, as sapphires were (and still are) thought to aid in healing; in Hindu and other Eastern traditions, it represents enlightenment. It was the wedding ring of royalty long before the diamond became the “it” stone, symbolizing wisdom, integrity, love, and harmony. That describes us perfectly.

Most important of all, it is bright and joyful… like the future ahead of us.

❤