Over the past 3 weeks, I have had so many people ask me how it happened. Where it happened. What I said. What he said. How I felt. As much as I absolutely love telling the story over and over, I decided I should just write it down! Be prepared, this is going to be a long one. As most of you know, Darcy and I have been together for 5 years now. Of course, after dating for that long the topic of marriage comes up every now and than. I always knew he was the one, I knew within the first couple months of us dating. Only being 17 years old and knowing that he’s the one, sounds crazy, right? Thats the last thing I thought I would be thinking about when I was 17. But honestly, we clicked, we get each other, were so different but so similar in so many ways. I feel like we were made for each other (I swear I’m not usually cheesy…..)

Fall has always been a difficult time of year. The weather changes from sunny, warm & colorful to dark, chilly & dull. Life gets busier, traffic gets unbearable, the wind picks up, kids go back to school, everyone is starting to get ready for winter, families want fall pictures taken with the beautiful leaves, some people start Christmas shopping & others are booking their winter vacations.

Have you ever taken the time to think of how much impact you have on someone else’s life, or how much of an impact someone else has on your life? One person I could never live without is my mother. Someone who has been there for me from day one, cared for me nine months before she ever met me, and has continued to do so for the last 21 years of my life. Sometimes we take for granted the relationships we have with people, the things we are fortunate to have and the little things that make life worth living. I know sometimes I don’t always say thank you, or show that I am thankful for my mom but each and everyday I think how lucky I am. How lucky I am to have such an amazing mentor in my life to support me, to cheer me on when I am down and to always believe in me when nobody else does. I encourage everyone to take time tonight and think about somebody who really has an impact on your life, and I challenge you to sit down and think about how that person has shaped who you are today and to tell them, because you never know what tomorrow will bring.