Three years ago, I had hit rock bottom. I was in the lowest place I had ever been in my life. I knew it was time for a change, but I didn’t know what that change looked like... or if it was even possible. But I knew it was time to leave California and start a new journey that was completely of my own making. So I did. I set off for Oregon, where the number of people I knew there could be counted on one hand. The journey started off rough, crippling even. I started off in Coos Bay Then relocated to Reedsport. When that plan fell through, for reasons not even worth mentioning, I ended up getting a job at O’Reilly Auto Parts in Florence, Oregon. I was offered the position of parts delivery specialist. My first week on the job, I was tasked with delivering parts to a shop called Muffler Works. Lo and behold, the first mechanic to greet me was Peyton. He was kind, a true gentleman. He offered me a piece of chocolate, but I saw he only had one left, so I said no. According to him, that’s the moment he started to like me. Over the next few months, he courted me, was attentive to me, more than any man had been before. And then one day, he won me over completely. The rest was history you might say. We now share a love deeper than either of us had ever felt, which was both exciting and scary at the same time. Peyton is a man who knows what he wants. So one year later, he proposed to me and I happily said yes. It was the easiest decision I’d ever made. And now, we’ve built a new home together, a new life together, and someday, we’ll build a family together. September 14th will be our day to celebrate this new life and to share the celebration with all of our family and friends.