Santa Fe, and that loving feeling.

How do you write about the moment you fell even more in love with your boyfriend? I’ve sat here for the past two days trying to put into words the experience that Ryan and I just had on vacation, but it seems that everything I write does the trip no justice!

One of my earliest (non-work) conversations with Ryan was about a trip he had taken to Santa Fe. He talked about all the things he did there, the hike he had taken, and the food he enjoyed. It sounded awesome, for sure, but random- who vacations in Santa Fe, NM?! It clearly is a conversation that has stuck with me for many years!

So when he asked me to go on a vacation to Santa Fe with him, I was of course down, but nervous! We had a super early flight to catch, so we headed to the airport around 2am. Let me tell you what I blast I am at 2am, in a dark car with the heat blazing and comfy airport clothes on (see also: my normal after-work attire daily). I was zonked out for the entire drive to the airport!After slight maintenance issues in Phoenix, we were on our way to Santa Fe, by way of Albuquerque! Flying into NM was absolutely gorgeous! We found our rental car and were on our way over to Santa Fe.

In an instant I could see why Ryan vacationed in New Mexico! It was gorgeous! We stopped for a quick authentic Mexican lunch (complete with a couple amazing margs) before heading to our super cute Casita, just a quick walk from all the places we wanted to visit! I was instantly in love with Santa Fe, and falling even more in love with my cute travel partner by the minute!

One of the highlights from the trip was the hike that Ryan set up for us to do. Ya’ll. A hiker I am not, but…for some reason, I felt oddly comfortable with the thought of finding my way to the top of the Atalaya Mountain Trail. It wasn’t until after a near-death experience (not at all dramatic) and four miles later that I realized…the reason I felt so comfortable with this hike was because of Ryan! He pushes me without openly pushing me. He never tells me that I have to keep going, but he encourages me and believes in me in a way that I’m not sure I’ve ever felt in my whole life. And ya’ll, it’s enough to push me to do things I never thought I could do! And it is beyond rewarding. Standing at the top of that mountain, looking across the vastness that is Santa Fe, holding hands with the love of my life, watching birds litterally soar past us, and looking a sweaty mess but feeling like a million bucks…I knew nothing could ever top the feeling of accomplishment that I had in that exact moment. The view literally took my breath away, and made me so aware of just how blessed I was to be experiencing this moment alongside Ryan.

We spent the afternoons walking the square, stopping at cute shops, popping in for a mid-day cocktail, and simply enjoying each other’s company. We could walk blocks, hand-in-hand, not talking but just taking in all that was around us. Or we could stop in the middle of the square and share coffee on a cute park bench and talk about the day’s plans. It was an incredible experience, and one that I’ll never forget. I am beyond thankful for the experience, and even more thankful for the time away with Ryan!