Aaron grew up in Rochester. I went to college in Rochester. And even though there were 3 years where we shared a city, it wasn't until I moved back to Minnesota - to Albert Lea - in 2023 that we met.

In the early fall of 2023, we matched on a dating app. Both of us were fairly certain of what we were looking for and what we wanted in a relationship. The compatibility we experienced when talking online made us both excited to be able to meet in person.

Our first date was at Spyhouse Coffee in Rochester. We met in the late afternoon and talked over coffee, but when the cups were empty, neither of us wanted to the date to end. So we took a walk through downtown. Our first date lasted four hours and set a tone for many, if not all, of our future dates. From there, we quickly scheduled our second date for that weekend. We went to an apple orchard in Rochester, which is where we both felt sure that something special was only beginning.

The rest of our dating journey is scattered with wonderful memories. We have been able to learn from each other, teach each other, and grow as a couple. We were both clear with each other early on, both of us were dating to marry. We discussed the heavy-hitting topics very early, and that intentionality is what ultimately helped guide us.

In mid-October this past year, Aaron planned a day trip date to Aamodt's Apple Orchard in Stillwater. As you can imagine, it was crawling with everyone trying to get their fall pictures in. We got our bag to go pick some of our own. Because we were near everyone else picking, Aaron kept trying to get me to come over and look at the trees near the vineyard, trees that were mostly bare. I, seeing the empty trees, said "No, there are no good apples over there!" Aaron persisted and asked me to come over again. After a second denial, he just walked over there himself. I reluctantly walked over too, complaining about how it was a bad area to look. I pointed up the nearest tree, ready to say "See? No apples," but when I looked back, Aaron was on a knee with the engagement ring sitting in the box looking up at me. Aaron says that he solidified himself as the, self-professed, luckiest guy in the world when I said yes, but secretly I know that I'm the lucky one.