Marla and Keven started out in neighboring communities, but took the "long way around" when it came to meeting! Keven comes from a farm family in Sverdrup Township, southeast of Cooperstown, and Marla grew up on a dairy farm southeast of Hannaford. Having moved to Fargo while still in high school and following an educational and career path that took her to Norway, Kansas, Michigan, and South Dakota, Marla likes to say she had to "go halfway around the world and back to end up marrying a farmer from Cooperstown!"

Keven wasn't entirely unfamiliar with the Fogderud family, having met Marla's late father, Gerald, through the farming business. Marla's mother, Iris, was also Keven's student teacher when he was in 8th grade English class. Little did he know he was meeting his future mother-in-law!

Keven and Marla finally got acquainted via FaceBook in 2019, thanks to mutual friend, Tracie Stokka. It took another four years to meet in person, but the rest (as the say!) is history! What started out as a casual "get to know you" meet-up at Twenty Below Coffee in Fargo became a three hour non-stop conversation between people who immediately felt like long-time friends.

Travel has been a big part of their time together, with trips to Minneapolis, Norway, Seattle, and Portland as highlights. The picture on this web page is from the Columbia Gorge outside Portland, and was taken just two days before our engagement. That took place on May 15, as the Empire Builder train rolled up and over the continental divide just outside Glacier National Park. For Keven, the train history buff, it was a special location! For Marla, whose great-grandfather helped build the Great Northern Railway in Montana, it also had a special significance.

We are so excited to share our special day with all of you, having found each other after half a lifetime!