Our Love Story

Carl Powell and Aubrie Stavig

As the splash from my friend’s bellyflop receded back into the swimming pool, I rubbed my eyes vigorously to make sure the water was not distorting my vision. When the drops were gone it became clear to me that what I was seeing was true. And as I looked around at my buddies in the swimming pool with me, their jaws dropped, my reality became further confirmed. Standing next in line on the diving board was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. It was not just the bikini she was wearing, everything about her was beautiful. With a jump and a hop and a contest-winning bellyflop, Aubrie became not only the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, but also the most fun.

My name is Carl, and that is how my amazing fiancé Aubrie and I met over five and a half years ago. It was a silly start to a very serious, yet always fun, relationship. We have since become each other’s best friends, companions, and shoulder to lean on. Our relationship started with a splash, and we have not come up for air since.

Aubrie and I were both born and raised in the Land of Enchantment. When we graduated from Sandia High School, our adventurous spirits carried us to the Northwest for college. Aubrie went on an athletic and academic scholarship to Seattle Pacific University to pursue her education in exercise science, and live her dream of being a collegiate gymnast. I went on an academic scholarship to Western Washington University to pursue my education in the field biology and anthropology. It was during these five years of long distance separation that Aubrie and I became closer than anyone would ever have expected—Except for us. I drove down every weekend to see her and cheer her on as her number one fan at her gymnastics meets. On the weekends I could not make it down, she liked to surprise me and take the bus from Seattle to Bellingham, and dash any worries I had that I was not going to get to see her that week. We did everything and anything we wanted to up in Washington, and it was these adventures that kept us growing closer and closer despite the long distance.

This past August marked the first time Aubrie and I lived in the same city as each other in the last five and a half years. And as if that was not exciting enough, that same month we got engaged at 12,500 ft. in the southern Colorado Rockies. Highland Mary’s Lakes was the exact spot. The first year we were together, we took a giant leap in our relationship by taking a backpacking trip to Highland Mary’s Lakes. It was this first trip together that we truly fell in love with each other. And from that point on I knew that that was going to be the place I propose to her. We are both currently going to graduate school at UNM, Aubrie for Occupational Therapy, myself for Pharmacy. It is so nice to see each other on a daily basis, rather than weekly or even monthly. It’s amazing that the excitement and happiness we would always feel when we finally got to see each other after weeks apart can be felt every day. Although we see each other every day, we know how lucky and fortunate we are that we can. In each other we have the friendship, the companionship, and the love we know will last a lifetime and beyond.