Let's set the scene: It was a Saturday morning in Allendale, MI, and GVSU had a game later in the day. We were tailgating with our respective sorority/fraternity. I (Josh) was tasked with kicking people off the back of my buddy's truck. I had gotten most of them off when I spotted somebody that I knew talking with a pretty blonde girl. When I had kicked everybody but her off of the truck, I stopped and talked to her. That was when I met Lauren for the first time. By the end of the conversation, I was inviting her to an after-party (that I made up on the spot) so I could spend more time with her. I quickly found out that we lived in the same apartment complex, just across the parking lot from me. In the coming months, we became very close, and although we claimed many times that we "were just friends", it was very obvious that there was more to the story.

We dated throughout college and by the time we were graduating in 2019, we were making plans to move in together and start our next adventure. In 2020, we got our first apartment in Ann Arbor. We spent 3.5 years there building a life together and making lots of memories. In 2023, a new job moved us to Chicagoland where we settled into an apartment in Evanston and began a new adventure!

In October of 2022, exactly 6 years after we met, we spent an early morning driving to Chicago to visit Lauren's sister, Jillian. Lauren was under the impression that Jill had planned a fun weekend in the city but she would soon find out that I had actually been the one doing the planning, and there were some surprises in store.

The first thing we did when we got to the city was to go see Shedd Aquarium. Lauren had a great time, but I was so nervous I hardly remember being there. After the aquarium, Lauren and Jillian did some shopping around the city. I tagged along to not raise suspicion, but distinctly remember feeling like I was going to pass out in an overcrowded Aritzia.

When it was dinner time, Jillian faked a phone call from "work", pretending like she had to go in, leaving the two of us to get to dinner by ourselves. In reality, Jillian was going to set up the location of the proposal. We Ubered to what Lauren thought was the restaurant, but it turned out to be Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, a beautiful nature preserve with a stunning view of the city. There I popped the question. After a yes and a glass of champagne or two, we spent some alone time getting dinner back in the city, before meeting up with Jillian and Lauren's parents at the Signature Lounge on the 98th floor of the John Hancock building. It was one of our favorite days and a memory we will cherish forever.