Where It All Began: Luray, Virginia – 2022

Back in 2022, Dana drove up from Lynchburg. I left from my place in Taneytown — the same home we now share. We were still early in our relationship, just two people falling for each other one mile at a time. Luray wasn’t halfway, but it was perfect. Tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, it felt like neutral ground — beautiful, quiet, and just far enough from the noise of real life to feel like our own little world.

We met there for a weekend that would shape everything. The caverns. The cozy night, The Waffle House in the middle of the night. We didn’t know exactly what we were stepping into, but it turned out to be the beginning of something lasting.

Looking back, Luray was more than just a trip. It was the first time we got to simply be — no schedule, no distance, just us. And we loved every second.

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Where It All Started: Roses, Caverns, and Cooter’s

We met in Luray, right in front of the caverns. Dana didn’t know I had something special waiting for her — a dozen roses, hand-delivered. Her smile in that moment? Burned into my brain. We hugged, kissed, and before long we were making out in the back of my car like two high schoolers who’d just ditched class. The kind of kiss where time stretches and the world quiets down.

Eventually, we actually made it inside the caverns.

Luray Caverns was beautiful, sure — but what we really remember is the natural organ performance. The deep, echoing music bouncing off the ancient stone felt like something out of a dream. We stood there side by side, taking it in, silently knowing this trip was going to be one we’d never forget.

Afterward, we stopped by Cooter’s Place, because why not? A little bit of Dukes of Hazzard chaos added some charm to our otherwise romantic afternoon.

Late Night Love & Waffle House

Then we rushed to Harrisonburg. We had a room waiting for us at the Best Western Plus, but honestly, it felt more like we were waiting for the room — we couldn’t get there fast enough. Let’s just say the hours that followed were filled with connection, laughter, and the kind of intimacy that comes when you know you’re exactly where you want to be.

At around 2 or 3 in the morning, we were starving. Dana lit up when I told her, “Just be comfortable — wear your sweatpants.” So off we went to Waffle House in the middle of the night, completely wrapped up in the joy of being ourselves around each other. I’ll never forget how happy she looked in that booth.

The Beginning of Everything

That drive home was quiet in all the best ways — peaceful roads, full hearts, and Dana’s voice in my ear the whole way back. We talked about everything on that ride. About how perfect the weekend had been. About what it meant. And about all the places we still wanted to go together.

Mountains. Coastlines. Wineries. Forests. Cities. Wherever life takes us — as long as we go together.

That conversation on the road is what planted the seed for this blog. We wanted a place to hold all the pieces of our journey — the photos, the memories, the little stories that make up our life together. Not just the big destinations, but the small moments too. The roses. The sweatpants. The Waffle House at 3 a.m.

So this is where it starts — with Luray, Virginia. The first of many.