It all started with a random snapchat on a Tuesday from Mikayla (my best friend & Matt’s first cousin) asking “do you think my cousin Matt is cute?”. Of course I said YES but I was a bit skeptical as to why the random question. That following Friday she invited me to their Aunt Ginger's cabin up in Webb Lake during St. Patrick's Day Weekend. It is a huge festival where everyone puts on their fun, crazy green outfits and celebrates the Irish accordingly; including the most fun & entertaining parade (right Aunt Jackie??). Mikayla's family always welcomed me wherever they went, so it is very usual for me to tag along with Mik to family events. At this point, no one even questioned when I showed up with Mik to everything! 


BUT this time, Mik had a secret plan for inviting me. Those going to the cabin included a few of the Ryan aunts, uncles, and cousins, including MATT:) Let’s just say Mikayla & the aunts were the masterminds behind setting Matt & I up. When we got home, Aunt Kellie asked Matt “did you have an eye on any girl this weekend”, his response “well hahaha Haley”. 


Matt & I got along very well over the weekend, but unfortunately the weekend came to an end. Over the next few months, we exchanged a few snapchats here and there, hung out once but then did not see each other again until June - Volksfest 2022. John Michael Montgomery sang some great songs, Matt showed off his dance moves & honestly the rest is history. We have been inseparable ever since! 


For how often Mikayla & I were together, Aunt Kellie referred to me as another daughter and referred to Matt as another son. We both have lived childhood, teenage, and college memories with the Peterson family, yet we had NEVER met until 2022 - St. Patty’s Weekend. It was barely even a week of talking/hanging out following the Volksfest weekend in June & I received a text from Aunt Kellie inviting Matt & I to a cabin they rented for a week at the end of June. I guess Kellie never questioned if we were meant to be:) 


15 months later, on September 30th 2023, Matt got down on one knee while we were hiking up north at Jay Cooke State Park! Our favorite hobby together - hiking, camping & being outdoors:)


The more we got to know each other, we learned we grew up very similar & have a few coincidences: 
- we both are the youngest of large families (I have 6 older siblings & Matt has 10)
- we both have lots of nieces and nephews
- we both grew up on a farm
- my mom & dad were mail carriers as well as farmed AND Matt’s dad was a mail carrier/farmed 
I never thought the man I would marry would totally understand when I told him I used to sometimes ride (more like had to hide) in the back of the mailroute car while mom or dad finished the route since it was my only ride home from sports practice, but turns out Matt also had the same dusty experience!  
- I share a birthday with Matt's mother, TC! 
- & many, many more similarities but I will spare you the reading! 


We often & I mean OFTEN wonder how we hadn’t met earlier in life, but God’s timing is truly perfect timing:)