29.

Obviously this year has been unlike any other and I (like everyone else) have really struggled with it. May and June had their positive moments - we celebrated Lexi's 5th birthday and had a wonderful time in Palm Springs - but for the most part, it was emotionally hard to feel "stuck" in one place.

July began the same way May and June went. Thankfully we were already planning to take a much needed break from reality. We said goodbye to Palm Springs and headed north for Yosemite National Park!

Mid-July marked my 29th year in this timeline. I've always loved birthdays but this one felt different. I guess when I was younger, I envisioned my late 20s to look a little different and now I was struggling with the reality of where I actually am. Getting older, unmarried, childless, and 2,000 miles away from what would be considered my family. I thought by now I'd at least have established a little more permanence in California.

It's something Zach and I talked about increasingly. And not without emotion. My sister had uncovered old newspaper articles of our family back east and one included an announcement of my great aunt's wedding. My dad told us she was afraid she'd become an "old maid" before she got married. Honestly (and I really hate saying this), I could relate to that. I knew that I saw my future with Zach because I love him and because of what we have to offer each other. We make an amazing pair...so I felt sad to think that we didn't seem to have much bonding us.

With my thoughts and emotions out in the open, we finally found ourselves in Yosemite. Our reservations didn't get cancelled! We were able to disconnect from work and thank god for that. The day after we arrived, Zach and I woke up early to hike the Mist Trail. On the way to Nevada Falls, Zach asked me to marry him and I was genuinely shocked, I started crying. It was perfect. It was what I needed for our relationship. I am so happy to know we will have a future together.

He's the best person I could have ever asked to be in my life.

Monday was my birthday and we hiked up to Yosemite Falls. After that, we spent a few relaxing days at Lake Tahoe where we read books on the porch and kayaked around the lake. This could be the quarantine talking, but it was the best trip I've ever been on.

Now we are enjoying the reality of quarantined engaged life! We're spending the next couple of months with his niece and life couldn't be better for us. Despite all the craziness going on right now, I'm really looking forward to the rest of 2020 and getting married to the love of my life sometime in 2021!