Although it might have began during the summer of 2019, Sara and Andrew had gone to the same school since 7th grade! They knew of each other through friends, classes, and church, but did not become friends until sophomore year of high school. During sophomore year, Sara joined the FIRST robotics team and grew closer with Andrew through the season. After a few get togethers with friends during the summer and a couple dates, they began dating on July 4th, 2019.

Andrew and Sara both experienced the COVID-19 pandemic together and the chaos that ensued during their senior year. From dances getting cancelled, sport seasons getting shortened, and school switching from online to in-person they were still able to make the best of the situation. They created a make-shift homecoming, completed college applications with one another, and spent days with each other attending virtual school and youth group. Fortunately, they were able to have an official prom following their in-person high school graduation.

Andrew and Sara enjoy engineering, solving puzzles, and classes revolving around math and science. Both were blessed with the opportunity to attend Colorado School of Mines and accepted their offers to begin college in the fall of 2021. While at Mines both have been able to grow individually and together. Sara has taken an interest in the biomechanical field but also enjoys the thermal-fluids realm of mechanical engineering. She has been able to continue her interest in media and photography with her internship at the Residence Life Department. Andrew has enjoyed classes in the thermal-fluids and automotive fields of mechanical engineering, while also pursuing his interest in manufacturing through working in the Mines machine shop and at Vertec.

Andrew's Point of View:

Sara and I wanted to get married after graduating in May 2025, so I knew that I wanted to propose before the end of the Spring 2024 semester. I had found the ring the October before and machined the box in January. My initial plan was to propose somewhere in the mountains at the end of a hike or an overlook while off-roading. About a month before spring break our friends, Morgan and Amber, were preparing for their trip to Alaska to see the northern lights and experience the terrain. While studying late at night Morgan invited us on their trip, and within a week Sara and I made the impulse decision to join them in Alaska. Creating the spring break plans to Alaska gave me an opportunity to propose during the trip. I knew that I wanted to propose under the northern lights if we saw them. Our friends that we went with knew my plan and were ready to help me with the proposal.

We had 4 nights in Fairbanks to see the northern lights which meant I had 4 nights to propose. The first 2 nights of the trip were cloudy and we were unable to see the northern lights. This was nerve racking for me knowing that only 2 nights were left. The third night was spent initially waiting for darkness to fall, and once darkness fell, Amber had to convince Morgan to wake up from his nap to look for the lights. Sara, Morgan and I began driving to find a dark part of the town to see the lights. We drove around for around 30 minutes to an hour, not finding a good spot to park and watch the night sky. When we went past a park we looked out the window and saw a small streak in the sky. We pulled into a small parking lot and it was go time for me. I asked Morgan to take a picture of Sara and I, and I wanted to make sure that our phones could capture the lights in the sky. After that successful picture, with Morgan laying on the ground to get the angle of us and the sky, I asked for a second picture. Sara was confused at this, but Morgan knew this was the moment. While he was taking pictures every few seconds, I got down on my knee and took a breath, taking in the moment. As I was about to talk Sara interrupted me asking if I was going to ask anything, apparently this was a long time for her. I then asked her to marry me and she said YES. I proposed under a small streak in the sky and about 30 minutes later the whole sky was lit up with the northern lights. I guess I pulled the trigger a little too soon, but I can’t predict the future. That could have been the only time we saw the northern lights on our trip. It all worked out in the end, Sara and I both fumbled a bit on the proposal, but I am so glad I have a woman who can laugh with me about it now and can see the big picture in our lives.

Sara's Point of View:

I had my suspicions of Andrew proposing while we were in Alaska, but did not have an idea as to when. It was another night of trying to see the northern lights in Fairbanks. We were all tired from the day we had at Chena Hot Springs, except Andrew. While our friends and I were falling asleep, Andrew was wide awake checking his phone for sightings of the Northern Lights. Going in and out of the house, he continued checking the sky and was eager to go drive around due to the high chances of seeing them that night. I volunteered to stay back at the house to take care of our friends' baby, Elias, so that everyone else could go see the northern lights but was quickly turned down by Amber and Andrew.

Morgan, Andrew, and I drove around Fairbanks trying to find a dark spot to see the northern lights. After an hour, we saw small streaks in the sky and stopped in the nearest parking lot. We got out of the car and stood in awe of the small green streaks in the sky. While I was taking pictures, Andrew said that we should take a picture together under the northern lights. Morgan took our picture, contorting to the ground to get us and the sky, and gave us the phone for us to check. I then tried to take my phone back but Andrew asked Morgan to take another photo. I was confused as to why we needed another picture, but went along with it. As Morgan went back to the ground to get another picture of us, Andrew began to kneel to the ground and I turned to see him holding a small black box. Let it be known that I am not the kind of person who likes people looking at me for long periods of time. It had felt like he had been on the ground for a long time staring at me, so I asked: "Are you going to say anything?" Andrew chuckled and opened the box to display the ring while asking me to marry him. Very surprised, I said "yes" and he put the ring on my finger. A few months before I knew that he was machining something for the proposal but had no idea as to what it was. After he put the ring on my finger he showed me the ring box he machined and personalized. I could not have asked for a better or more beautiful proposal, and am so excited to marry the man I have shared so much of my life with.

The ring box and original spot of the proposal.