A perfect weekend getaway = a shiny, golden ticket after defending my Masters Thesis and Ethan pummeling through a Turbulence Exam. Packed and ready to drive, Ethan and I were finally en route to Harrisburg! Sixteen weeks of training, sore muscles, tight joints, and passion in our hearts — we were ready. This was the moment we had been eagerly waiting for. We were going to run our first marathon — 26.2 miles along the beautiful Susquehanna River. What more could we want, right? Sunday morning came quick. We washed down chalky oats with delicious orange juice and joined the other 900 excited racers at the starting line. The gun fired and hundreds of pit-pattering feet began the long journey and together, Ethan and I raced our first marathon. The first 13 miles flew by, but as the digits got higher, the pain dramatically increased. By mile 20, we were on the verge of fainting, muscles cramping, and feet unable to push harder or further. The last six miles was a blur of people cheering us on, wild emotions, and unforgettable pain. I rounded the final corner with the last bit of enthusiasm I could muster and crossed the finish line to find Ethan waiting — open armed and grinning from ear to ear. We made it. Together, Ethan and I raced and finished our first marathon.
So.. what more could we want, right? Well.. after stuffing our hungry bodies with smoothies and bagels, we walked about the City Island of Harrisburg. It couldn’t have been more perfect. The combination of warm sun and fresh fall colors was magical. There I was, wrapped in sun, nature’s pretty leaves, and Ethan. Just as I thought the beautiful November day couldn’t get any better, Ethan hugged me tight, whispered sweet something’s in my ear, got down on one knee, and asked me those four extraordinary words, “Will you marry me?!” It was perfect. A moment better than I could ever imagine or dream of. An unforgettable weekend spent with Ethan — the person I get to grow old with, the person I get to wake up with every morning and go to bed with every night, the love of my life.. Of course, my answer was YES! No dates have been set, no colors have been picked, and no arrangements have been made, however, pictures of the ring will soon be posted. I have not seen it or know anything about its beauty. Ethan’s creative and artistic mind designed it, and like you, I too, will have to patiently wait.
Many other great things came from our trip. We visited Troegs Brewery, one of mine and Ethan’s favorite range of craft beers, Appalachian Brewery, and managed to sneak some sweet soft-serve ice cream into our bellies. Realizing this little old place probably wouldn’t accept plastic, we gathered two dollars in cash and met the lady at the counter. “Is there anything we can get for two dollars?” asked Ethan. Mine and Ethan’s puppy faces must have been pretty apparent, for the lady at the counter tapped her pen on the glass, hunched closer to us, and whispered, “Psst. Psst. I will give you two small cones.” The lovely lady at the counter gave us two small cones for two dollars. It was these tasty, cool treats that gave rise to the domain name of our website.
-robyn