Ben and I met in elementary school when we both were a part of our school's 'chapel choir'. At the time, this was primarily the only form of interaction we had since Ben was a year older than me. It wasn't until high-school that we were involved in more activities together and became closer friends.

In 2015, we were both cast as the lead roles (Harold Hill and Marian) in our high-school musical, The Music Man. At this point, we had already become good friends; but through long rehearsals together and hours of conversation with each other afterwards, we became much closer.

It came as a complete surprise to me when Ben asked me if I wanted to date him on the final night of our show. We both had expressed interest in each other, and I was hoping our relationship would progress into something more official, but little did I know he had been planning to ask me for a while, and even had already asked my dad for permission to date me (aww what a gentleman).

From that point on, we both got to navigate our first real relationship together. Neither of us really knew what we were doing at first, but we both knew that the love we had for each other was something so special and unique. We've had the privilege of growing with each other through major life milestones and transitions, including high-school and college graduations, moving to new homes, job interviews, board exams, and starting our adult careers. There truly is no one else that I would rather walk through every step of life with.

The night we got engaged (March 11th) was hands-down the best day of my life. Ben made the night so incredibly special by planning out every last detail. Even though we had been discussing our future engagement for months, it was a complete surprise to me.

I went out with friends that evening for what I thought would be a birthday celebration for a friend. We had planned to go to the Hewing Hotel in Minneapolis, so as we rode the elevator up to the rooftop, nothing seemed abnormal to me until I stepped out of the elevator and saw my good friends from Ames, Iowa standing there waiting for me. Since it was a Thursday night and they both attended Iowa State University, I knew it was no coincidence that they were there at the hotel the same night as me. My jaw dropped and I immediately knew what was happening. I ran out onto the rooftop with tears streaming down my face and found Ben there with a ring. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. That was the easiest 'Yes' I've ever said in my life.

Afterwards, we celebrated with both our families at a restaurant right down the road from the Hewing Hotel. We laughed, cried (happy tears!), and celebrated our night that was 6 years in the making. It was perfect. The love and support we felt from family and friends that night was unmatched.

God has been so faithful in our relationship and we strive to embody His grace, compassion, and unconditional love in our marriage. We have been incredibly blessed by so many friends and family who have impacted our relationship in meaningful, lasting ways, and we can't wait to celebrate our marriage with all those we love! We are so thrilled for all of the exciting adventures in our future and we cannot wait to begin our life together!