Running through danger zones united Michael Baumgartner and Eleanor Mayne

Some people spend years looking for that special someone. Others just look across the room and love stares back at them. Michael Baumgartner and Eleanor Mayne were both assigned to a team of international counter-narcotics advisors in Afghanistan as part of a U.S. State Department program. At a meeting with Pashtun tribal elders, the two were introduced. “I was surprised and impressed to find that Eleanor, particularly as a woman, had gained the respect of many of these elders as we discussed the narcotics strategy,” Michael says. “No mean feat in that part of the world where the society is very conservative.” Soon, they were keeping steady company. “We spent almost all waking hours together,” Eleanor says. “We’d sometimes run circuits around the compound for exercise together, although it was so small that each lap only took 30 seconds.” They were stationed in a hostile area and there was a constant danger. “On several occasions we had Taliban rockets land within a few hundred meters of the building,” Eleanor says. “Having been in Iraq with the State Department, Michael was more conscious of the risks. He got hold of sandbags from a nearby US military unit, and insisted on stacking them on the inside of my bedroom window in case of a close impact.” By the time their Afghanistan assignment ended both knew their relationship was more than just friendship. “After leaving Afghanistan we went on a two-month vacation together in Europe and southern Africa. There was a specific town called Hermanus near the southernmost point of Africa where we went for an early evening run along the coastal path,” Michael says. “The sun was setting and there were whales splashing in the bay, and it was really that day that I knew for sure that I wanted to marry Eleanor.” He proposed on Valentine’s Day, 2010. Michael returned to Spokane and announced his candidacy for State Senate. The wedding plans were put on hold while the couple campaigned. Finally, on November 10 (10-10-10), the pair walked down the aisle in the beautiful Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral in downtown Spokane. “It was reverent, traditional and very joyful. My two sisters were bridesmaids, and Michael’s two brothers were groomsmen, so it was very family-focused,” Eleanor says. “The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes is a wonderful setting with a traditional feel. We wanted a full nuptial mass, and the cathedral music with the trumpet and organ together is especially beautiful.” The historic and beautiful setting reflected their shared faith and deep connection to the community. “It was joyful and wonderful day with friends and family,” Michael says. “It was also a welcome break from a very hectic campaign trail – with a much-needed sense of perspective! Several of my former colleagues from Iraq and Afghanistan came to celebrate with us.” Now that the wedding is over and Michael’s campaign was successful, and the delayed honeymoon drive down the Oregon Coast has come and gone, the pair is looking ahead to both professional and personal happiness. “Michael is great at seeing the big picture and having a high-level vision, whether relating to personal or professional issues,” Eleanor says. “I’m far more detail-oriented, which is a good balance. “He is also overwhelmingly positive, which I really admire,” she adds. “In contrast, I can sometimes over-analyze situations.” Michael sees their connection in simple terms. “True love. With shared commitment and values,” he says. “Ultimately we both put each other and family first. I truly think that Eleanor is a gift from God.” When you fall in love wearing body armor and move straight into politics, married life might sound like a picnic. But the Baumgartners have both feet on the ground and excellent insight into what’s ahead. “We’ve both had wonderful experiences in our lives to date,” Eleanor says. “And we are excited to now be taking on life’s great adventures together.”