Okay.
So i honestly never thought i would ever be telling you guys this story, because i guess you'll understand as i start telling the story, but i am so excited about who texted me.
Um, it's not the fisherman, despite what you might be thinking, but it is even better like it is even okay.
Okay, I need to compose myself to tell this story.
Okay, let's start with last summer.
Last summer was so magical.
I just felt more connected to myself than I have felt in a very long time, and I think that was because I was just spending a lot of time alone and I remember I would like go out into the mountains and spend all day wandering through the mountains and when I got tired I would just lay down on the earth and take a nap and then I would walk back down and bathe in the river and I just felt really connected to myself and it felt really good.
So that was kind of where i was at as the summer was coming to an end.
And then i think it was around the end of august.
Yeah, it was around the end of august.
I woke up one morning And I walked up to the top of the mountain, like I do most mornings.
And I remember standing there and looking out at the mountain range.
And there being smoke and flames off in the distance.
And I remember being like, okay, wait.
Something is wrong here.
That's not normal to see smoke like pretty close.
And I think I even took a video of it because I was so like shocked and concerned.
And when I walked back down the mountain and got back into service, I had an alert on my phone that I was in stage one evacuation of a wildfire.
So that fire I had seen was the fire that was coming towards me and causing me to be in stage one evacuation.
If you're not familiar with living in a wildfire prone area.
Basically, there's three stages of evacuation.
Stage one, which is the one that I was in, is just be aware that there's a fire in your area.
Stage two is pack everything you own and be prepared to leave in a moment.
And then stage three is code red.
Leave now.
Fire is coming.
So I was just in stage one, which is familiar territory for me because I have been in stage one evacuation in previous years.
So I remember that day just kind of wandering around feeling very anxious, unsure of what to do.
Like, should I just continue on with my daily life?
Should I start packing and preparing?
Like I really didn't know what to do with myself.
I even called my parents and they were like, Oh, it's fine.
Don't worry about it as well.
Um, but I was still feeling very anxious, you know, and I remember trying to like look up more information about the fire online and there really wasn't that much information.
So I decided to drive down to my local gas station, slash post office, which is kind of like the community meeting place, I guess, because it's the only like place that exists up in this valley and it's not too far from me.
So that night I drove down and I will never forget driving up and feeling like I was suddenly in the apocalypse.
Like there was hundreds of people everywhere and lights flashing and trucks and firefighters and just people everywhere in a place where there is normally no one you know, and so it was honestly shocking to see and I was like oh, Maybe I should be taking this a little bit more seriously.
There were so many people in this area because they were actually in stage three evacuation.
So they were expecting the fire to come through this area and then up the valley where I am.
And so I walked into the gas station and there's a firefighter standing there.
And I walk up to him and I was like, what's going on?
Can you give me some information?
And he turns around, he turns around.
And of course he is just like the most attractive person I have ever seen in my life.
Like I swear in that moment, my heart stopped beating for a second.
I was just like, And he just smiles and he's like, yeah, sure.
And he kind of tells me a little bit about the fire.
And I was really trying hard to pay attention to what he was saying, but it was challenging because he was just so attractive.
But he was essentially said to me like you're fine, you're just in stage one, like don't worry right now, like things are okay, just be aware, you know.
And then he gave me his number and he was like call me if anything happens or whatever.
You want more information?
And I was like oh, you're giving me your number.
You want mine?
I didn't say that, but I was thinking that because he was just so like, I don't know.
He had this energy to him, you know, like this very like everything's going to be okay.
Don't worry kind of energy.
And it was just very, I don't know.
I loved it.
So I went home that night and I was just kind of daydreaming about this man that I had met.
And yeah, for the most part, I think in the next couple of days I just kind of went on with my daily life.
I think I was working on a video at the time and for the most part my life was just kind of the same, you know.
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So I stayed in stage one evacuation for a couple of days and I was a little anxious but just kind of existing in my life.
And then one night I was making dinner and all of a sudden my phone starts blaring this like really loud alarm
And I was like, what is going on?
And I looked at it and I had an amber alert that I was in stage three evacuation.
Like I had jumped from one to three, which was the stage of leave now, like the fire is coming.
Oh my gosh.
I don't think I have ever been so stressed in my entire life.
The sheriff literally drove to my house and was like, you need to leave.
He gave me this piece of paper. with like some information on it.
That night, I think it was the first time in my life I've ever had a panic attack.
Like I did not know what to do with myself.
I couldn't think.
I remember just like pacing around unable to take any kind of action because I was just so overwhelmed.
We've just been alerted that we are in stage three evacuation, which is basically you have to leave right now.
We skipped.
Stage two is the thing, and I'm like I'm like, I'm panicked, like I, I'm genuinely I feel like I'm in shock right now, Like I just can't.
I honestly had no idea what to do at this point.
I was paralyzed.
And one of the biggest reasons why I was so stressed out is because this house that I was building was in the middle of being framed.
So it was just a wooden box just sitting there waiting to go up in flames.
Here's the thing.
When you build a house in a place that's prone to wildfires, you have to follow certain codes that say the siding and the roofing need to be fireproof.
So if a fire comes through and a spark hits your house, it's not just going to erupt in flames because the siding is made out of certain material that's fireproof.
But my house was just wood, like it wasn't at that stage yet and it didn't have insurance, and all of the windows and doors were sitting inside of it because I had gotten delivery of them that week and I told the driver I was like oh, just put them inside the house, it'll be fine.
All of my money was just sitting there in this house and it was about to get burned down and I'm gonna be honest, that was one of the scariest, just most upsetting things I have ever experienced.
Everything was just so out of my control.
Like, I could do nothing in that situation, it felt like.
And I had no idea what to do.
So I called this firefighter and he must have heard the sheer panic in my voice, because he was like it's okay Isabel, don't worry, I'm coming.
I'll come help you.
So he comes over and he gets the chainsaw out and he starts limbing up trees and cutting down trees that are dangerous and removing brush and running sprinklers to the house.
And he is like don't worry, I am going to save your house.
This person like, when i think back on this moment, he just represents this like hero in my life, like this hero who swoops in and it's this like this life or death situation and he gets the chainsaw out and he just starts helping me for no reason And I don't know.
It just was the most amazing feeling throughout my whole life.
I have always felt like I need to be in control of every situation.
And that if I'm not doing it it's probably not going to work and that I need to do everything and no one else can help me because they'll probably not do it right.
And I'm the only one who can do it.
And I just have felt this like feeling that I need to hold on to this control so tightly, and This man made me feel like maybe for the first time in my life, like I could let go.
And it felt really good, honestly, to just trust this stranger who was helping me.
I remember at the time I was like texting all of my friends like, the firefighter is here.
He's here.
I think I even snuck a couple of videos of him, without him knowing, because I was just so shocked by the situation.
And by the end of the day he was like if the fire comes through, I'm certain your house will be okay.
Don't worry.
Everything's going to be fine.
And then he left.
And wow, the next day I woke up to a notification on my phone that overnight the winds had shifted directions and that it was now heading for a different area, which was very sad, because now a new area was under evacuation, but I was no longer under evacuation.
All the evacuations had been lifted and, oh my gosh, I have never been so happy and relieved in my entire life to get that notification.
That was like truly the best day of my whole life.
I think I even opened a bottle of wine and I was just like woohoo life is good.
I met this cute fireman and the fire is not coming.
But then about a week later, maybe this man calls me.
He calls me and he is like, oh, so nice.
Oh, I gave him my number, by the way, like when he spent the day here.
I gave him my number so he calls me and he was like, oh it was so nice meeting you.
I just took a job though out of state so I'll be moving for the foreseeable future.
I was so upset, upset.
I was so sad.
I don't know why.
I think like I had gotten the idea in my head that all of the stars were aligning for me and this man to meet.
And he's the one and I don't know I I'm kind of crazy.
So in my head, like this man was like meant to enter my life and Everything leading up to this had brought us together.
You know what I mean?
But then he was moving.
So Yeah, that was kind of the end of the story and I spent like the past 10 months just kind of thinking of this man, like thinking of the what if?
Like what if we had spent more time together, what if it had worked out?
And what if?
Is such a sad place to be in because that is the thing that keeps you up at night, you know like this feeling of what if that had worked out.
Well, You're probably already guessing where this story is going based on the title of it, but yesterday I wake up to a text on my phone from him.
Literally, when I saw this text, I screamed, I gasped and then I screamed.
I was so excited and he said something like well no, actually I'll just read you the text, because you need to know all the details, okay.
So he said hey Isabel, I've been thinking about you ever since we met last summer.
I just moved back to the area and would love to take you on a date if you're still available.
Guys, you guys, I am going on a date with this man this weekend.
He is picking me up and we are gonna go watch the sunset somewhere.
And I am so excited.
I have a lot to do in my life.
Like this house needs a lot of attention.
However, all I can think about is what am I going to wear to this date?
Like, I am so excited.
Oh my gosh, this man.
This hero in my life has come back who saved me from this fire.
I mean I guess he didn't save me, but it honestly felt like that and he's just so cute and so nice and sweet and just makes me feel calm.
And I love it.
And I'm so happy that this is not the end of our story and that we're going on a date.
I'm so excited.
Okay, I will keep you all updated about what happens.
I really want to get a shot of this date too.
However, he does not know what I do for work.
He doesn't know that I work online.
He's also one of those people that just does not have social media.
I don't think he spends that much time online.
I think he's just out in the mountains fighting fires or something.
So he might be kind of weirded out if I just whip out like my huge camera and tripod.
However, I really want to get a shot of this date, so I will try to make it casual, because I want you guys to be part of this.
I'm just so excited.
Okay, I need to not build this up so much in my head, but I already am doing that, so it's kind of too late.
Anyways, thank you guys so much for watching this video.
And yeah, I'll see you all next week, okay?
Bye-bye.
