A Much Needed Break From Politics

After last weeks third presidential debate the country seems more divided than ever. My hope is that this love story will remind us that we can agree and come together in such a stressful time.

1. The Ultimate Love Story

Maks and I started dating in High School in November 2008.

2.

We were inseparable and madly in love. After High School I made the difficult decision to go to college out of state. Maks and I decided that we would stay together and he supported me in my decision to go away.

3.

In my senior year I went abroad to Costa Rica for three months. Maks has always supported my education and encouraged me to follow my dreams of being a Marine Biologist.

4.

He even came to visit me while I was away. We traveled to Bocas del Toro, Panama and spent the week exploring the islands.

5.

We returned home just in time for Commencement Ball and Graduation. It was the longest time we had been apart and it was so good to be back together.

6.

He is my best friend and truly my other half. I have never felt whole without him by my side.

7.

I wore the same dress five years earlier to Maks' senior prom. We had only been dating for 7 months in this picture.

8.

I traveled away again but this time it was for an internship working with endangered Sea Turtles in Texas. I was away for 5 months.

9.

But of course he came to visit me.

10.

To celebrate we went sky diving over the ocean and landed safely on the beach.

11.

My next adventure was back to Costa Rica. I was a Research assistant studying nesting Sea Turtles. I was in a very remote area and I had limited access to wifi. Every Sunday for three months I would hike up a mountain to the nearest hotel just to Skype with Maks. We would talk for four hours straight and never ran out of things to say. This was the first trip that we couldn't communicate when we wanted to. For a present I wrote to him in a journal everyday, so that he wouldn't miss any moments while we were apart.

12.

I've been home for almost a whole year. This is the longest time that we have been together since High School. We got our first apartment and could not be happier with our time together. Last weekend Maks and I took a short vacation to Acadia National Park in Maine. It was raining and the fog was so thick that there was no view to see. We spent the day hiking in the rain but it was perfect because we were together. As we were climbing down the cliff, Maks had taken me aside and told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. He pulled out a ring from his pocket and proposed. We were the only ones on the mountain and the fog had started to clear. I will never forget this moment.

13.

Our 8 year Anniversary is next week and we are celebrating with our engagement. I hope that our love story brought some people together this week. I might be bias but I really do think we have the ultimate love story.