It's a beautiful, breezy evening on the Oregon coast. I'm driving our jeep with the shell off, Artemis and Aubrey in the back seat and you serving as the world's best copilot as we embark on our trip. It's late July, so we get to take advantage of the longer days to enjoy every bit of our time together.
I insisted on driving so you could better enjoy the scenery. It's your first time seeing this stretch of Highway 101, and the views here are absolutely breathtaking. It's the perfect day to experience them, and I made sure you brought your camera so you could work your magic and capture the little moments.
I take my time navigating the winding road, thankful that my sunglasses are keeping my wild, wind-blown curls out of my face. I can't resist singing along as the chorus of California Love starts.
Earlier, just as we left the hotel, you opened my Spotify library on my phone, found a custom playlist labeled “The Ultimate Drive Playlist,” and clicked on it without knowing anything about it. I giggled a little at your choice, but I trusted you to browse my library and let you choose, so we went with it. Of course, I made sure to strategically skip a few songs for content purposes for Aubrey, but most of them are safe.
I have curated the songs for this list over several years of driving, making sure each one fits the specific vibe, tempo, and mood I was aiming for. I have listened to them enough times to know every word to every song, so it's hard not to join in. But I don't really sing in front of people, so it's mostly quiet singing. I can tell you've noticed, though.
I glance in the rearview mirror and see Aubrey is singing some of the lyrics, too. Artemis is laying across the seat with just her head in Aubrey's lap, and Aubrey is looking out the window in awe at the vast ocean as far as the eye can see. I smile, then look over at you, only to notice you're smiling and admiring the exact same thing.
It brings tears to my eyes that I have to fight back. I'm just so happy we get to have this experience together. They're joyful tears, but I'm thankful my sunglasses help me hide the emotion a bit as I gather myself. I feel your hand on my knee. Dammit, I can't keep my emotions from you no matter how much I try.
When we get to one of the famous lookouts just beyond Strawberry Hill, I pull into a parking spot and cut the engine. We're facing the ocean, with the sun front and center painting gorgeous hues of pink and orange to contrast the deep blue.
“Let's get out and enjoy the view!” I hop out and grab Arti's leash while you help Aubrey out of the back and grab your camera. We all stand there and just take it in for a while, no one really saying a word.
Once you've taken some photos, you walk over to me and put an arm around my waist, pulling me close. I lean into your embrace, loving the way it feels to be near you. A man walks up and offers to take a photo of us. Aubrey stands on one side of you, me on the other. You have your arms around both of us, with Artemis sitting right at our feet. He snaps a few pictures before handing the camera back to you. I'm so glad he offered.
Those photos will be the first of many memories of the adventures we'll have—a small way to remember this perfect day forever.