September 11th, 2021

This is the first day that Simon and Rachel met. He’s in the picture actually if you look closely. Regardless of his frown, Simon enjoyed getting to know Rachel and her friends despite a tough loss to Iowa.

July 4th, 2022

After more football games and visits to Ames, Simon decided to ask Rachel on a date on June 20th, 2022 (yes, almost a year later). She had a good feeling when he suggested mini golf and ice cream. Rachel loves nothing more than some good ice cream, but she got a DQ slushie so that Simon would not witness the effects of her lactose intolerance.

This picture was taken after Simon and Rachel had gone on a few dates. Simon had just taken Rachel on a ride in his semi truck to haul pigs and she burnt her arm on the stack. Classic rookie mistake…notice the bandage in the picture. Rachel and Simon still laugh about that day.

July 10th, 2022

Simon asked Rachel to be his girlfriend on July 9th. Just a day later, he met Rachel’s family for an afternoon of grilling and outdoor games. Rachel’s family was very excited to meet Simon and thought he was a perfect match for Rachel. 

November 12th, 2022

Rachel encouraged Simon to get into the Christmas spirit a little early. They bought an 8 foot tree that fit perfectly with the 8 foot ceiling in the basement. Fun fact: This picture is still Simon’s phone background.

January 11th, 2023

Hahahah you probably weren’t expecting this picture in the timeline. Simon had told Rachel he loved her for the first time earlier on this day (don’t worry, she said it back). Rachel took this picture to remember the date. He was on her shoulders replacing the old battery in a smoke detector. It had only been beeping for a few months by the time Simon got around to changing it. :)

March 3rd, 2023

One of Simon and Rachel’s favorite things to do is spend time with his nephews and nieces. On this day, they took Nathaniel and Jeremiah to see the new calves that Simon’s dad had. Rachel has always loved Simon’s spunky and joyous energy when spending time with his nephews and nieces. She is very excited to become Aunt Rachel soon.

September 17th, 2023

Simon and Rachel had an amazing summer together. Their favorite activity was spending time boating and tubing on the water. Simon’s brother, Franklin, was very generous to let them use his boat for frequent outings at Little Wall Lake. Simon and Rachel also loved watching sunsets together, going stargazing, going on walks, and spending time with both families. At this point, they had started talking about engagement. They were both sure they wanted to spend their lives together.

November 12th, 2023

Rachel says Yes! Simon asked Rachel to marry him on a sunny and warm Sunday afternoon. Rachel was pretty oblivious the whole day. She did not suspect anything until Simon insisted they go out to his field without any nephews or nieces, which was a bit unusual. Simon had a big white quilt with yellow flowers in Mason jars. The proposal was very sweet and they got a good laugh when Franklin and Lauren popped up in ghillie suits. Their favorite part of the day was getting to share the celebration with family and friends.