To properly explain our engagement story, we have to go back to 2005. In September of that year, a Portland artist by the name of Scott Wayne Indiana began an art project. In an attempt to get people to start paying more attention to their surroundings, Indiana began tying tiny toy horses to the iron horse rings found embedded in Portland's sidewalks. Long before cars, these rings were used to harness horses curbside. Indiana called it "The Horse Project."
In March of 2008, Dave posted a polaroid of one of these horses on Flickr. That same day, while perusing the website, I stumbled upon it. I recognized the horse immediately, as I had taken a polaroid of the exact same horse ten months prior. Coincidentally, I posted that polaroid five years ago today. Amazing, huh? I left a comment on Dave's photo with an image of my shot that read "I know by the angle that you took yours at that this is the same horse - right off Everett, around the corner from Utrecht Art Supplies, right? Do you live in Portland too?" An internet friendship was born. A year and a half later, Dave and I finally met in the flesh at a Flickr meet-up. We began dating six months later.
The horse we both photographed has been gone for years now. But every time we would pass the corner of NW 11th & Everett, I would give Dave a nudge and point to "our" iron ring at the street car stop where it once stood. Yesterday, while passing the corner, Dave dropped to one knee, pulled out a toy horse and a ring and asked me to be his wife. I burst into tears and said yes. There is now a new horse residing on the corner of NW 11th & Everett. We named it Flickr.
