We knew of each other before high school and did a causal wave or conversation when we were by each other. It wasn’t until we had study hall second semester of freshman year that we truly talked to each other. He came to my study hall room for math lab every Tuesday and Thursday — it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I found out he did that to hang out with me. He wooed me by showing me pictures and telling stories about his nephew Timmy. Then one random day during summer Mikey sent me a picture of Timmy, after telling him how cute Timmy was we began talking. After a couple of group dates, and a night working on homework we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend.

Throughout our high school years that we have been together we have been to three homecomings, one prom, one winter formal, one mission trip, countless sporting events to cheer each other on, and more than a million ice cream dates. After graduating Mikey went off to UW-Madison to study economics and I went to UW-Whitewater for education. We went from being able to see each other every day at school to having to plan when we would see each other next. When they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, they are not lying. It was a hard adjustment, but it made every time spent together sweeter. We have cheered on the Badgers at numerous sporting events, coordinated countless Halloween costumes, walked miles around Madison and Whitewater, and savored every second together. Being high school sweethearts we amazed a lot of our friends when we told them how long we had been together. When they would hear how many years they would joke around and ask “Well am I invited to the wedding?” I would laugh because I thought a wedding was years in the future, but Mikey had other ideas.

To say Mikey treats me like a princess would be an understatement, so when he asked to take me on a hike followed by a picnic I thought nothing about it. I thought it was just another thoughtful date my thoughtful boyfriend was taking me on. We hiked all the way to the beach at Seven Bridges where I was excited to see the “surprise” dinner he packed. But I was not prepared for the other “surprise” he had in his backpack. He got down on one knee and popped the question, and that was the easiest answer of my life. And now we are here, planning a wedding, finishing up school, and enjoying every second we are together.

The summer of 2023 was not only the summer we got engaged, but Mikey also accepted a full-time position to work at Aldi once he graduates in May of 2024. This summer has been full of so many greats, that we are so thankful for.

Mikey and Hannah schemed up a plan so she could get a picture of our engagement without me having any idea. She hid in the trees and waited until the moment to capture the shot. #mvp