I arrived in Pullman, WA in June of 2010 to start summer workouts for volleyball along with summer classes. I recall telling my Mom before I left that I was just going to enjoy my freshman year and not date anyone. One weekend early into that summer, the rest of the freshmen on the volleyball team and I decided to head to a party at "The Football House" on campus. Meeting everyone was overwhelming, but I couldn't help but notice that one of guys that lived in the house was pretty handsome. I thought for sure he was a senior and that I had no shot with him. The summer went on and we kept running into each other. After many attempts from David to get me to hang out with him, I agreed. We spent the whole night talking and realizing we had much more in common than we thought as his Mom grew up only an hour from my small hometown of Watertown, South Dakota! He officially asked me on a date on my birthday that September and 5 years 1/2 years later asked me to be his wife!

From the moment I met Marcelina I knew I wanted to get to know her. We had a surprising amount in common and I was excited about that. Mostly I was just excited about her.

We met at a party at my house, and she was one of the only people there I didn't recognize. So, I took it upon myself to pursue. I still give Marce a hard time about how she was giving me the cold shoulder for much of the first summer we knew each other. I've come to realize that it was mostly due to her laid-back personality, and not that she didn't want to date me (hopefully).

The next 6 or so years have been a journey that has seen both of us grow and develop so much, and I am excited that I get to spend every day with her.

Living in Tampa, FL it is rare David and I get to spend time with our families. My family typically takes a vacation each March and decided this year that they would rent a beach home just an hour south of Tampa on Anna Maria Island. My parents and younger sister arrived in Tampa during the week and my older sister and her family were set to arrive that Saturday night after we were able to check into the beach house. David's best friend and best man, Marcus, was also traveling down to FL that week for his spring break and David was planning on picking him up in Orlando that Saturday as well. My parents, sister, and I drove down early Saturday afternoon and met David and Marcus there. The house was incredible and we were so excited for the vacation to begin! My older sister and her family were schedule d to fly into Tampa that evening at 9pm so the plan was for my Dad and I to make the hour drive back to Tampa to pick them up. We arrived back at the beach house and I could tell something was going on as all the lights in the house were off but the lights in the backyard were lit. I suggested we just go straight to the backyard but Aneta insisted that we go through the front door so she could get a full tour of the house. I led the way and immediately noticed candles lit throughout the house. The pathway of candles led straight back to the pool where I could see David standing. I walked the path back to him as Bruno Mars' song Marry You was playing in the background out to David where he got down on one knee and popped the question. Of course I said yes!