Emily and I met through cross country our freshman year of high school. Our close group of friends would spend nearly all of our free time together. Whether it was eating lunch at school, pumping each other up during hard workouts and races, or watching movies over the weekend, our group was inseparable. Sophomore year, we started talking to each other outside of our group, and Emily's goofy and fun personality caught my attention. I soon realized there was something really special about her. Our first real connection started on the way to a cross country meet in Minnesota when I was able to get Emily to sit by me on the bus. She thought it was just me being nice and offering her some snacks, but it was all a part of the plan that Matt May and I had designed. Over the next few months, casual conversations turned into staying at practice a little later to hang out. After a few failed attempts to go on dates, she FINALLY agreed to see The Hunger Games with me at the movies. A week later, on December 22, 2013, I invited her over to my house to watch her favorite movie. While the credits rolled and my heart nearly beat out of my chest, I popped the second most important question I've ever asked her, "will you be my girlfriend?"

In the following months, we managed to become slightly less awkward and continued to learn more about one another. The next few years consisted of many hikes, playing lots of sports, Olive Garden dinner dates, road trips to see our favorite bands in concert, and getting voted the cutest couple for our senior superlatives at Rock Bridge. After several college visits, we both ended up at Truman State where we continued our running and academic careers. At Truman, we spent hundreds of long nights studying together but managed to find time for more concerts, movies, and cooking. Finally, when discussing the future together during our junior and senior years, I knew that I wanted to spend every day of the rest of my life with her.

Throughout high school, Quinn had a knack for planning the most extravagant proposals to school dances. The most memorable include getting on the jumbotron at Lambeau field during a Chiefs/Packers game, him announcing it during our school talent show, having "homecoming" spelled out in pancakes at a restaurant, having a cop seek me out in the Mall of America for suspected shoplifting, and getting our teammates and KU athletic trainers in on acting like he suffered a bad injury at a track meet (took me awhile to say yes to this one). Ever since, I've joked with him that he wouldn't be able to top his dance proposals for the real deal since they were already extravagant. Little did I know, he still had some tricks up his sleeve and saved the best for last!

The first day of Thanksgiving break, my parents asked if I wanted to go to one of our favorite restaurants for breakfast. Shortly after I ordered, I noticed by dad unzipping his jacket to reveal a GoPro around his chest. I thought he was just being his goofball self until my sister, Madeline, tapped me on the shoulder, handing me my first of six clues and roses. Madeline and her boyfriend, Mitchell, lived in Boston, MA at the time and weren't supposed to be home until Christmas, so I was in total shock. In the first clue, Quinn explained that I would be going on a scavenger hunt to places in Columbia that have been significant in our relationship. Each location would have a letter with a specific memory and scrabble letters which I'd have to rearrange to determine the final location. I spent the day with Madeline and my cousin, Jordan, driving around Columbia, reminiscing special moments and even getting pampered with smoothies and manicures! After receiving all the scrabble letters, I was able to determine the spot where Quinn was waiting: the Pinnacles. My nerves and excitement set in as we got to the park and started walking down the path Quinn made for me with a leaf blower. The path traveled to the top of the bluff where Quinn was standing with the biggest smile, surrounded by rose petals and lights. Our friend, Will, captured all of the anticipation, happy tears, and the final moment of him getting down on one knee. That moment was everything I dreamed of, and I'm beyond grateful God blessed me with the most amazing man to be my life partner.

The eventful day ended with an engagement party at my house surrounded by all the special people in our lives. We are very excited to continue celebrating and cannot wait to share our special day with you.