Our Story

We met at pharmacy school orientation thanks to a glitchy laptop and some much-needed troubleshooting. Hayden stepped in to help me fix my computer, “Old Betsy,” as I liked to call her, which was a perfect relief on a nerve-filled first day. That simple moment sparked a conversation that immediately felt effortless

From there, things just fell into place. Hayden was the first person to reach out with encouragement before our first exam, and those messages turned into study sessions, long conversations, and a friendship that felt surprisingly comfortable. One of our first real conversations happened on a hike where we spent hours talking like we’d known each other far longer than a few days.

Before anything official, we spent time together enjoying good food, hiking trails, and baseball games. One moment that stands out from that time was a dinner at Big Orange. When our food arrived, Hayden asked if he could pray over the meal. It was a small gesture, but it said a lot about who he was and what mattered to him. Not many people take that step nowadays, and the fact that he wasn’t afraid to live out his faith meant a great deal to me. I could see how genuinely he cared about his relationship with God — something I had always hoped for in a partner, and something I still admire about him to this day. In that moment, I knew I wanted to get to know him better.

Not long after, we had our first real date — and a very special one at that. Hayden cooked an entire homemade dinner: pasta, Caesar salad, Red Lobster biscuits, and crème brûlée for dessert. He even brought flowers. Hayden still jokes that it was the crème brûlée that won me over, but the truth is, it was his thoughtfulness and the way he made me feel genuinely cared for.

Our relationship hasn’t always been perfect, but it’s always been real. We’ve learned that love isn’t always 50/50 — sometimes one of us gives more, and other times the other does. It ebbs and flows, but through it all, we’ve supported and strengthened each other. Some people see relationships during school as a distraction, but ours has been the opposite. Together, we’ve navigated late-night study sessions, pharmacy challenges, and major life milestones, building a strong and steady foundation. Along the way, we’ve made countless memories: movie nights, spontaneous ice cream runs, competitive (and usually hilarious) Doomlings games, Harry Potter marathons, exploring new places, and plenty of head-to-head rounds of Super Mario Bros. At the heart of all of it is our shared love for God, for nature, for serving others, and for building a life with intention.

Marriage is something we’ve looked forward to for a long time, and now we’re grateful and excited to begin this next chapter together!

Registry & Cash Fund