Four Seasons - Rick proposed to Rachelle in the garden terrace of the Four Season‘s hotel in Santa Barbara on October 14, 2003

Golden Gate Bridge - This is the beautiful view from Rachelle’s office and San Francisco‘s landmark suspension bridge

October 14, 2003 - Rick fell to his knee on this date with a surprise marriage proposal

April 26, 1977 - Richard William was born with a Captain’s hat on his head in Saginaw, Michigan

January 25, 1976 - The beautiful bride was born this special day weighing 6 pounds, 9 ounces

June 3, 2000 - Rick and Rachelle‘s friendship began this fated day at a friend’s wedding in Frankenmuth

Lake Tahoe - This breathtaking vacation getaway is where Rick and Rachelle spend their time on the slopes

Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma - The Lieutenant attended and eventually completed the intensive pilot training program at this base in northern Oklahoma

Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota - Lieutenant Rick took Rachelle flying over this frozen tundra, home of his first duty location

Travis Air Force Base, California - Rick‘s current base and home of the 9th Air Refueling Squadron

Michigan State University - The die-hard Spartan’s alma mater where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2000 while celebrating their national championship

The University of Michigan - Our little Wolverine graduated with a degree in Psychology and Sociology the year of the Maze and Blue national champions in 1998

Santa Barbara, California - Rick and Rachelle‘s engagement vacation ended here after following Highway 1 along the magnificent Pacific Ocean coastline

Towers Perrin - Rachelle’s employer of four years which began in Detroit and carried her to San Francisco

United States Air Force - The Captain‘s employer of four years and gateway to Rick’s dream of a flying career

Yosemite National Park - This scenic background was where Rick and Rachelle spent their first weekend together after his return from the war

Frankenmuth, Michigan - The childhood city where Rick and Rachelle grew up just blocks apart

Mount Diablo - The 3,850 feet natural beauty that towers over the wedding couple‘s backyard

The KC-10 Extender - Rick’s top choice of aricraft to fly after pilot training landed him a job in the right seat of this worldwide air refueling jumbo jet

554 Cass Street - Rachelle was raised with her sisters and brother in this childhood home since the age of 2

110 South Franklin Street - Ricky grew up as a blonde-haired kid on this street in Frankenmuth

Maui - Peaceful and tropical surroundings await the married couple in Maui where they will honeymoon together

Wine Country - The valleys of Napa and Sonoma are the preferred tourist attractions for Rick and Rachelle‘s visitors

The Meaning of Motherhood (MOM) - Following college graduation, Rachelle chose to work with this social science research project which explored the role of motherhood for mentally ill women

The Wickson Memorial Library - As a young girl Rachelle spent hours reading books at her neighborhood library

Planes, Phones, Email - For a time, Rick and Rachelle’s relationship consisted of daily emails, long phone calls and anticipation of upcomming visits

Ice Cream and Cake - Rick and Rachelle love desserts and these are two of their favorites

Big Sur - Rick and Rachelle‘s first camping experience together was at this campground along the Pacific coast of California

George - “Sprite” at birth, this gray cat was Rachelle’s first roommate after college and brought a bit of home to her when he traveled across the country to live with her and Rick in California