We met through our mutual friends in the teeny tiny town of Lankin, ND. This chance encounter included a lot of dancing and then we had no contact for nearly two years until the same mutual friends got together and unexpectedly a group formed to attend two wedding receptions that happened to be on the same night. Esten was our chauffeur for the group and at one point in the evening stopped the pickup, turned up the radio and got out and asked me to dance. Two other friends danced with us, but on that gravel road in the middle of here and there it was just us in the headlights. A month later we went out and I felt an immediate connection with Esten. We officially began dating in December of 2023. I knew I loved him very early on and there was no doubt we both had the same dreams of marriage, family, and continuing to farm and raise beef cattle.

He completely surprised me by proposing in the most intimate, casual-yet-romantic way. He asked if I’d go check the cows in the pasture with him, I obliged slipping into my finest ~gardening crocs~ and we went on out in the Ranger to the pasture. Esten wrapped the ring box in a paper towel to throw off any suspicion, he was so nervous. I was gawking at the cows when he asked me to turn around. There he was on one knee!

I love the little life we’ve begun here in Lankin and will continue to unfold before us as we plan our vows and skip off into the sunset of marital bliss.