Our story started in the summer nights of 2021. We met at Crave, our church's young adult ministry. Zach had attended from the very beginning and I had just found Crave a few months prior! Metro Community Church has changed our lives in many ways. Introducing us to each other being just one example. We're forever grateful for the way God's church has connected us to the Lord and to each other.

Our first date was over dinner on Friday, July 23rd, 2021. We spent the evening getting to know each other and we've been talking ever since!

Zach officially asked me to be his girlfriend after planning a romantic sunset date by the river. This is still one of my favorite days and such a sweet memory.

With Zach's support, I graduated with my bachelors and moved onto graduate school! I'm working on my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and expected to graduate in 2024. I'm grateful I've been able to complete my education from home, but unfortunately it didn't start that way for Zach.

In the fall of 2022, Zach started law school at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, putting us four hours apart. We did our best to visit a couple times a month, but this was tough as we were both adjusting to graduate school. We expected this to be the norm for the next few years, but by God's grace it wasn't!

All praise to God for He is so kind and answered our prayers for Zach to move home! In 2023, Zach was able to transfer to Washington University in St. Louis, where he will graduate with his law degree in 2025. This has been such a blessing to us. Thank you to those who were eagerly praying for this as well!

In the summer of 2023, we started serving in youth ministry together and it has quickly become something we eagerly look forward to each week! We were brought together by God's grace and we pray that our relationship will be one that continues to pour back into God's kingdom.

We also just love spending time together! Some of our favorite things have been traveling with family, trying new foods and restaurants, and enjoying games together - either at a sporting event or at the kitchen table!

And then the proposal! There was so much an anticipation for this moment, but in the end it was so simple. We both new the answer from the very beginning. We are so excited to use our relationship as a testimony for how the Lord has transformed our lives, individually and together.

On August 9th, we will make a holy promise before God and all of you. A promise of commitment to the Lord and to each other. Please join us in praying that God's grace and protection may cover our marriage and future family. What God has joined together, let no man separate.