Sometimes love shows up when you least expect it, and sometimes it takes years of waiting for the right moment. For us, it was a little of both.


Jack and I grew up just six miles apart. We spent part of our summers at the Goodhue County Fair, shared a love for 4-H, and played sports in neighboring towns. We had mutual friends, overlapping memories, and parallel paths that somehow never crossed.


But as it says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Two very special people—Sara Bryan and Mikayla Ryan—became part of those plans. They saw something we hadn’t yet seen: that maybe we were exactly what the other was looking for.


So, they set us up on a blind date at Flannel Jax’s, an axe-throwing spot in St. Paul and it was there that our story truly began. Jack arrived early (enough to start sweating), and I showed up fashionably late. The employees were buzzing with curiosity, eager to see who would arrive for the reservation under “Blind Date.”


That night, something clicked. From the first moments, there was a sense of ease and familiarity, like meeting someone you were already meant to know. Within weeks, we found ourselves falling in love, constantly surprised by how similar our lives had been and how well we fit together.


Looking back, it’s clear that the timing of it all was no accident. It was a blessing—one we’re so grateful for. In finding each other, we also found more family, more love, and a future we’re so excited to build together.


Our story reminds us to trust the timing of life and to have faith in what’s ahead. We can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with all of you.


Much love,
Anna